Connection
by ZS Fan
Summary: In Ikebukuro, everything is connected. When two of the city's most prominent figures get together, the change in their relationship cascades across the people of the city - even as the two men deal with issues of their own. Izuo and Shizaya
1. Chapter 1

…

 **In an apartment in Shinjuku**

…

"Namie."

"…."

"Namieeeeee."

A phenomenon was occurring.

Orihara Izaya was pouting.

The man who was always smiling or smirking had his lips downturned.

The information broker was laid out on his desk, his head on his arms and pouting like a petulant child.

And Yagiri Namie wanted no part of that.

"Namieeeee….!"

 _Seiji. Seiji Seiji Seiji ah Seiji…!_

Namie thought dreamily, thinking of her beloved brother –

"Why won't Shizu-chan fuck me?"

And promptly choked on thin air, giving the black haired man an incredulous look.

"Excuse me?!"

"Why won't Heiwajima Shizuo fuck me?"

Izaya said again, using his lover's full name as he turned his head and murmured almost distractedly.

"I don't know, and I don't care."

Namie said derisively and turned away, about to go back to thoughts of Seiji –

But Izaya had to ruin it as usual.

"Why can I fuck Shizu-chan, but I can't get fucked by Shizu-chan? It doesn't make sense."

"Too much information, information broker." Namie scowled.

But Izaya didn't even smirk at her discomfort. He was still in a depressed position, his usually mischievous eyes unusually serious.

"What's with you? Your precious Shizu-chan is letting you fuck him, shouldn't you be ecstatic? It's disgusting to even think about, but shouldn't you be grateful? That the strongest man in Ikebukuro is letting you do him?"

Namie said, she couldn't imagine Heiwajima Shizuo, the man in a bartender suit, in such a submissive manner and she didn't want to.

That man must really be in love with that bastard Izaya

Well, not that it's any of my business.

"Well of course I appreciate Shizu-chan giving his body to me, but it's boring when it happens all the time."

Izaya muttered desolately. He let out a groan, burying his face into the table.

"Seriously, why? It's been a month already. Why won't Shizu-chan take me? Doesn't he feel any desire to?"

"…Am I not desirable enough?"

"Or," Izaya said as if he was thinking about it, "Is my ass not desirable enough?"

Namie had promptly gone back to ignoring Izaya. She certainly didn't want the sight of Izaya turning around and examining himself to be burned into her retina.

"It's not soft like a woman's, but I'm not a woman. But the shape is fine I suppose, and Shizu-chan chases me all the time so shouldn't he be seeing it all the time? So shouldn't he have suppressed desires for my –"

"Shut up, Izaya."

Namie scowled, and Izaya gave her a smirk, finally looking like himself.

"Namie, won't you give an evaluation –"

"No."

Namie said in disgust when Izaya had stood up and proceeded to turn his posterior towards her.

"Namieeeeee…."

"….."

"Please, Namie? I can't examine my own behind!"

"Why don't you ask Heiwajima Shizuo? I'm sure he'd be delighted to."

"Shizu-chan chases me so he sees it all the time when I run away from him. But he never says anything about it – which is exactly what I'm concerned about. So…."

Izaya trailed off, and stood with his behind facing Namie until she said:

"I do not get paid enough for this."

But she seemed to give in, "You better not be flashing it in my face."

"Don't worry, I'm fully clothed."

Namie took a full on glance, using her trained eyes from her previous profession as the chief of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals.

"It's fine."

"Really?"

"Seriously, it's fine. What do you want me to say? It's firm and round? What are you, a woman? Your ass isn't too big or anything Miss Orihara."

Namie said sarcastically but Izaya seemed pleased at that.

"So it's not my ass then. Why won't Shizu-chan fuck me then?"

"What's the big deal, you two are still having sex."

Namie said, not saying the way it was being executed because it was disturbing to even think about.

She certainly didn't need the image of a submissive Heiwajima Shizuo, just hearing about it was disturbing enough.

Though she didn't want to think about a submissive Orihara Izaya either.

"But Shizu-chan was supposed to fuck me…."

Izaya was whining, and Namie snorted.

But before she could say anything, Izaya turned his face away so his expression wasn't visible, and said almost inaudibly –

"…..And I was prepared…."

…

…

…

* * *

 **Three weeks ago**

…

It had been two weeks since Orihara Izaya had unpredictably confessed his feelings and Heiwajima Shizuo had just as unpredictably accepted them.

They had gone from touching, to hugging, to kissing and now sexual contact.

The black haired man and the blond were entwined on the bed, all of their clothes on the floor except for the taller man's bartender shirt –

Which was unbuttoned and hung over his frame, as his hands were placed on either side of Izaya's head, his face flushed.

"….Izaya."

Shizuo said, his voice low and Izaya repressed a shudder as he met Shizuo's heated eyes.

"Shizu-chan….."

This was the moment, Izaya knew. This was the moment where a searing pain would soon assault him before overwhelming pleasure did as they were joined as one.

Fisting his hands in the sheets, Izaya leaned his head back and spread his legs.

"There's lube…in the drawer."

He managed, his face burning and he closed his eyes in trepidation, the sound of the liquid being squeezed out resounding in his ears with his pounding heart.

A moment later, he opened his eyes to see a hand wrapped around his erection.

"Eh?"

Izaya said in surprise, stunned. He flinched slightly as the cold liquid enveloped his heated arousal, eyes growing wide.

And then there was the sound of squishing sounds, which came from fingers being thrust into an ass which definitely didn't belong to him.

"S-Shizu-chan?!"

The heated gaze returned to him. With a few more quick thrusts the fingers were removed, the sight and sound heating up the black haired man's face –

Though it was nothing compared to the man in a bartender shirt leaning over him, a hand taking hold of his cock.

"Should be enough."

Shizuo muttered to himself and Izaya snapped back to reality. He pushed out his hands towards the other man's chest.

"W-Wait. Wait, Shizu-chan!"

"Hah?"

"W-What are you doing?!"

Izaya shouted as Shizuo positioned himself above him in a way that clearly suggested that contrary to Izaya's expectations, he would be the one taking it.

"Shut up and stay still."

Shizuo growled and used one hand to pin Izaya's wrists above his head.

"No wait – ahhhhhhhh!"

A cry was torn out from Izaya's throat as he was suddenly submerged in a searing heat up to the hilt.

He barely registered the sound of harsh panting as he tried to gather himself, his wrists trembling in Shizuo's grip at the sudden heat and pleasure –

Which faded away for a moment before coming back twice as strong, squeezing his cock so tightly Izaya let out a pained cry.

When he opened his eyes, it was because he felt a hand on his cheek.

"Sorry, looks like I didn't prepare myself properly."

"Shizu….-chan…."

Shizuo kissed him, softly and gently –

An ironic prelude when he lifted himself and slammed down on the throbbing rod, and groaned loudly when Izaya's body bucked, sending the black haired man's cock further into him.

"Shit…."

"Shizu-chan –!"

"I…zaya…"

With his hands still restrained and unable to touch his lover, Izaya found himself the recipient of another kiss from Shizuo –

A passionate one with the tangling of tongues as Shizuo thrust his tongue into Izaya's mouth –

At the same time Izaya's cock was thrust into Shizuo's ass –

Hitting his prostate as his tongue touched a sensitive spot in Izaya's mouth, causing a whimper from the black haired man as the blond shuddered in pleasure with a moan himself.

"Haaah…."

"…Hot….Shizu…..can't….ngh…."

"Does….it…..hurt….?"

Shizuo panted, barely able to get the words out, and lifting himself slightly so that he could.

"Idiot….." Izaya laughed weakly.

"Doesn't….make sense….Shizu-chan is the one taking it…so he should be….."

"….the one in pain – ah! S-Shit stop kissing…I'm trying to talk….!"

The unpredictable man had the audacity to laugh into his mouth before doing exactly the opposite of what Izaya wanted him to do.

They were having sex, as Shizuo rode Izaya, fucking himself on the other male's cock, bringing Izaya inside him as deeply as he could as he panted and groaned into Izaya's mouth, turning the black haired man on who moaned and thrust up as best as he could, wanting to evoke even more of those sounds from his lover.

"Shizu-chan…..not so fast…."

Izaya barely managed before Shizuo shut him up with a kiss.

Shizuo dominated Izaya's mouth with his tongue, smirking and breathing heavily against his lips and muffling the other man's moans before impaling himself on Izaya's hot rod again –

Which brushed against his prostate, seeming to have become bigger and spreading him wider.

"…Ahhhh…! Haaaah…..Damn it flea….fuck….!"

His lean body shuddered as his brown eyes unhidden by his sunglasses were filled with pleasure at the sex.

His own nipples peeking out from his bartender shirt were hard, but he leaned down and took one of Izaya's nipples in his mouth instead.

Izaya jolted in shock, his eyes wide. Heat rushed to his face. He whimpered when Shizuo began to rub his other nipple gently with his thumb, his tongue coming out to lick its twin.

"S-Stop that….I should be the one – ahhhh!"

Shizuo's teeth had scraped against the hardening nub, causing Izaya to let out a helpless cry and his body to arch up, his leaking cock brushing against Shizuo's prostate as the blond man gave a breathless gasp.

"Seriously….stop it…!"

Izaya had finally managed to free his hands when Shizuo's grip had gone lax and he was pushing against Shizuo's shoulders – before settling on shoving against the blond's head as he sucked on Izaya's nipple, coating it with his saliva.

The combination of scorching heat and pleasure and the sensation of his chest being toyed with by the other male drew a mewl from Izaya –

Especially when Shizuo began rocking back and forth, tightening Izaya's stomach with the tight and wet heat around his cock and the harsh pants against his chest.

"Ha…hahah…..fuck you play dirty….Shizu-chan…."

Izaya laughed with a smirk on his face, settling on pulling Shizuo's hair instead as he moaned as Shizuo's tongue swirled around his nipple.

"Yeah…gonna get you all dirty flea. Gonna – haaah….ngh….ahhh! ….come all over you…."

"Get….me dirty, you dirty beast. Hurry up….and come…!"

Izaya sneered, and gathered all his energy and strength of his lower body strong from parkour into one hard thrust, slamming his cock into Shizuo's prostate, gritting his teeth at the wet heat –

As Shizuo howled in pleasure, his superhuman muscles stretching as his lean body was forced up and away from Izaya's chest – his mouth detaching from Izaya's nipple with dripping saliva as he panted and moaned, white liquid dripping from his erection straining against his stomach.

"Ha…hahaha….What a sight you are….!"

Izaya laughed at Shizuo, pride welling up in his chest at having made the strongest man in Ikebukuro make such a helpless expression.

"….Ahhhh…..?"

Shizuo's voice had turned from a high pitched whine to a deep growl, and Izaya had the inkling he was in trouble.

Izaya's hands were pushed away from Shizuo's waist and pinned to the bed, as Shizuo's hands moved to his shoulders, holding him down against sweat-soaked sheets.

"Shizu-chan….?"

Izaya said apprehensively, and Shizuo gave a sadistic grin.

Izaya paled as Shizuo began to lift himself up, until only the tip of Izaya's dripping erection was inside.

Izaya could see almost his whole cock positioned at the strongest man's entrance.

"W-Wait –"

"Too late."

Shizuo hissed and that was the only warning Izaya got before his mouth fell open in a scream, his slender body straining desperately against the force on his shoulders as he was entirely engulfed by almost scalding heat.

"Ahhhhh! Ahhh….haaaah….!"

Saliva trailed from Izaya's mouth as he tried to get the air back in his lungs, inhaling and exhaling shakily, his cheeks flushed as he stared with teary eyes at where he was balls deep inside Shizuo.

"Who's…..a sight now….eh Izaya-kuuuun?"

Shizuo didn't look much better off himself – his brown eyes were half lidded in pleasure and his mouth was slightly open with saliva trailing down his chin as he leaned forward, panting –

Yet he still managed an infuriating smirk at Izaya as if to say 'I win', and Izaya gathered himself enough to smirk back.

"Still….Shizu-chan...AHHHHHH!"

Shizuo had lifted himself half way and slammed down with his superhuman strength, making all Izaya's efforts at getting his breath back for naught.

The black haired man mewled and moaned as the blond took pleasure from him, as he rode the information broker, impaling himself repeatedly on the other man's dripping desire.

"….Nghhh! Gahhh…haah…..ahhhh – AH!"

Izaya's body shivered when Shizuo shuddered and cried out, his usually masculine voice breaking in a high pitched whine as the hard cock rubbed mercilessly against his prostate.

At that moment, Izaya wanted nothing more than to push Shizuo down and thrust and thrust and make the man in a bartender shirt make that sound again and again –

But unfortunately for him, it was an impossible ideal at the current moment for the pinned information broker who was still trying in vain to thrust up against the delicious heat.

"Shizu-chan….let go…wanna move….!"

"Shut….up….!"

"Hah….no fair….I can't even fuck Shizu-chan properly – ngh!"

His hands grabbed hold of the sheets again, squeezing them tightly for some form of leverage as his body arched all it could in restrained pleasure –

As Shizuo had begun to rub that spot again and again and his soft insides squeezed Izaya's hardness and the black haired man was gasping and moaning like he was the one being taken.

Izaya squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head to the side as he tried to avoid the arousing image of seeing his cock thrust in and out of the hole between the legs of the man in a bartender shirt –

And the other man's cock dripping with cum.

"Shizu-chan….I'm….gonna…."

"…Come….?"

"Coming….so….move away….!"

Shizuo exhaled, then pushed himself down on Izaya's cock which was reaching its limit, suppressing a shudder as he turned Izaya's face so that he was looking at him.

"It's…fine. Come inside."

"Dirty….Don't….want….!"

Shizuo scowled and his hand moved from Izaya's face to his own neglected cock, which he began to jerk and stroke, making his insides spasm around Izaya's cock and the other man to let out a cry.

"No….!"

It seemed Izaya was still resolutely trying to hold his pleasure back, his face fully flushed red as he let out a whimper at the strain.

Shizuo's eyes seemed to soften and harden almost at the same time and he snarled, the sound reaching Izaya's reddened ears.

He lifted himself up and down, beginning to ride the other man's cock vigorously again as he jerked Izaya's hair with his free hand, the other jerking his own cock.

"Don't….be – ah….stubborn, flea….! Come inside….me….!"

Shizuo's possessive growl and the sight of his cock disappearing inside the blond in a full thrust was Izaya's undoing.

"Ahh…ahhh…ahhhhhh! AHHHHHHH –!"

Izaya screamed out with the pressure he had been holding back, his no longer restrained body free to thrust fully up into Shizuo as his cock released spurts and spurts of white liquid inside the other man –

Whose body shook violently at the feeling of Izaya's cock so deep inside him, and Izaya's cum splattering his sore insides.

With a few more deep thrusts from the muscles in his spread open thighs and the rapid jerking of his bobbing cock, Shizuo came with a long moan –

Coming so hard the white fluid flew into the air, landing on both his own stomach and Izaya's flushed, sweat-soaked, naked body.

Izaya exhaled as Shizuo looked like he was about to collapse on top of him, hot breaths coming out from his mouth.

But the man in a bartender shirt had to upset his expectations again.

"Shizu….-chan…."

"….Izaya."

Pulling himself off Izaya's cock and unheeding of the white liquid dripping from inside him, Shizuo laid down on the bed next to Izaya, staring at him with his brown eyes.

Before Izaya could open his mouth, he was brought against Shizuo's chest.

"Shizu-chan?"

Izaya said in surprise, raising his gaze.

"Izaya….."

Shizuo said again, then wrapped his arms around the flea and drifted off peacefully to sleep, a content smile on his face.

"….."

 _Falling asleep right after sex…_

 _After our first time._

 _Before his partner._

 _…So unromantic._

Izaya frowned, almost pouting as he was forced to lay his head against Shizuo's naked chest as Shizuo cuddled him in his sleep.

 _…..Why…._

 _Do I feel so violated….?_

It was the last thought he had before he drifted off into slumber in his blond lover's arms.

…

…

 **Two weeks ago**

…

 _This time, I'll make him see._

 _I've prepared beforehand after all._

 _All for this moment._

Izaya thought in determination, and inhaled.

"Shizu-chan…."

"Mm?"

Izaya could already feel his face warming as he said:

"We….don't need lube this time."

Shizuo tilted his head and Izaya was about to show him exactly why with his ready entrance –

But Shizuo denied him the opportunity to as before Izaya could even voice his dismay Shizuo had grabbed him and impaled himself on him.

"AHHHHHHhhhH!"

"Gah….!"

Shizuo panted, his eyes slightly wide as if he hadn't expected that amount of pain.

"You…..why…..?!"

Izaya yelled once he got his breath back and Shizuo looked at him quizzically.

"What do you mean why? You wanted to do it dry right?"

Shizuo said bluntly and Izaya stared.

Then the black haired man covered his burning face with his arm, closing his legs and hiding the embarrassed tears in his eyes.

"…..You idiot!"

…

 **A week ago**

…

"Hey Shizu-chan, don't you think we should switch?"

"Huh?"

"Shizu-chan is always fucking himself on me, doesn't Shizu-chan want to try it the other way instead?"

"….This way's fine."

Shizuo said, and Izaya's heart sank.

"But if you insist…."

Izaya's heart lifted –

At the same time he was lifted up and placed down so he was straddling Shizuo, the blond wrapping his long legs around his waist.

"….Eh?"

Izaya was flummoxed at the sudden turn around. Shizuo looked at him, eyebrows furrowing.

"You wanted it this way, right?"

"…"

"Izaya?"

"Ahhh…haha….hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!"

"…What the hell are you laughing at?"

Shizuo frowned, and Izaya just shook his head and looked down with a wry smirk.

"Ah, I give up. You win, Shizu-chan. You win…."

He said, and gave in with a thrust.

…

…

…

* * *

" –So many times. So many times, Namie, until it became frustrating! Why does that iron golem always have to be unpredictable?! Beasts should act like beasts and terrify, not suddenly become unpredictably docile!"

Fortunately for Izaya's secretary, she was a smart woman who was able to extract the meaning of Izaya's illustrations of his sexual encounters which she wanted to know nothing about.

"So when you entered the relationship, you expected to be the bottom. So when Shizuo wanted to be the bottom instead, he upset your expectations."

Namie said in amusement, Izaya's reaction having temporarily overcome her disgust.

"Exactly!"

Izaya threw his hands up into the air as if glad someone finally understood.

"So, why? I've tried everything – preparation beforehand, I already said the other way, how could that protozoic brain interpret it that way – just how dense can a guy get?!"

Namie was amused, for there the man who loved humans was, complaining like a normal human, for he was unable to accept how things had turned out in his relationship with one particular human.

 _Heiwajima Shizuo has that big an impact on Izaya, huh?_

"It's been a month….."

Izaya was saying rather depressingly, his head on the table and Namie turned to look at him.

He straightened, placing his cheek on his hand as he turned the other way.

"We've had sex several times, but I've never once had Shizu-chan inside me."

"….I still haven't been able to feel Shizu-chan…like I thought I could."

Namie was torn between disgust and sympathy – for that was how sad Izaya looked.

"Why don't you just tell him to do it?"

"….It's too embarrassing."

"Embarrassing? The things you've done to get him to fuck you are embarrassing on a whole different level than just telling him what you want. Isn't that how it is with you, anyway? You're always open with your own desires right? Or is that man somehow different?"

"….I have my pride."

Izaya finally said as if reluctant to even acknowledge it. Namie was surprised he was being so honest.

"And so you decide to execute your desire in a roundabout manner. It isn't any of my business – but that man obviously can't read between the lines, so you either suck it up or you won't get to suck it in."

"What a crude woman you are, Namie. And, I've already tried that…'sucking it up', that is."

That was a mental image Namie definitely didn't need. She swiftly replaced it with an image of Seiji.

"And telling your sex life to a stranger isn't?"

"What are you talking about, you're not a stranger."

But Izaya was smiling now, though there was a different tinge to it –

"But thanks, Namie."

"….."

"Somehow," the black haired man stretched his arms as he got up from the table. "I feel better now."

"Now I regret listening to you."

Namie said, but Izaya only laughed good-naturedly as he made his way to the door, an appreciative smile on his face.

"I'm going out for a while."

"To tell Heiwajima Shizuo to fuck you?"

"No way."

Izaya brushed off as he opened the door, exiting the apartment with a wave of his hand.

"I'm going to get information of course."

…

…

* * *

 **A hour later, in an apartment in Kawagoe Highway**

…

"Hey Shinra. If Celty was a man, would you be the one taking it?"

That was definitely not what Shinra had expected to hear when Izaya had invited himself into his house, and seated himself on his couch, inviting the owner of the house to take a seat with him.

He choked on his drink, putting the mug Celty had given him as a present down as he smiled shakily.

"Why….the sudden question?"

He asked, for that kind of bluntness was something he would have expected from Shizuo instead.

He blinked then looked to make sure he hadn't somehow accidentally thought Shizuo was Izaya.

But what he was seeing was definitely black hair and not blond. And the man was in a fur trimmed jacket and not a bartender suit. Also, the voice had sounded like Izaya's, only more contemplative –

Like now.

"…Because I've been thinking."

For a moment, Shinra thought Celty's alien theories were right and an alien had made Shizuo and Izaya switch bodies –

"…About our relationship."

"Eh….Izaya?"

"What is it, Shinra?"

"Ah nothing, just making sure you're Izaya….because Orihara Izaya speaking about a relationship is a bit surreal you know?"

"What are you talking about, it's not as if you didn't already know."

Izaya said distractedly as if Shinra hadn't expressed his concern, then continued –

"So? What role would you play if your lover was a man?"

"Hm, whatever role Celty wants me to play I guess!"

"Would you want to be fucked by him?"

"That's quite direct of you Izaya-kun – but I suppose so! Man or woman, I just want to feel and love Celty as much as possible, and if Celty wants to do me, I'd welcome it greatly! It doesn't matter to me what position I'd take, I'd still just want to touch Celty as much as I can; as long as I can do that, I'd be content. Ah but Celty as a man….I'm not interested in my own gender but if it's Celty….Celty pushing me down aggressively, all of Celty's attention on me…..!"

"Then would Celty want to be done or do you?"

"Knowing Celty, if she was a man it would probably take even longer for her – well, him to give his body to me. Since Celty already feels insecure – which is so cute by the way – about her own body compared to a human female's. So if Celty was a man, the comparison would still be to a human female once he learns that male-male relationships like the one I would have with Celty if she was a man, are abnormal. And then if we were to be in bed Celty would try to hide his body from me because he's embarrassed –ah even as a male Celty would be so adorable! And I don't think I would be able to resist so I suppose I would be top? My lovely Celty would probably think like he's not sure how to do it, and if Celty was a male I would have done research –"

"Alright that's enough information."

Izaya said and seemed to lapse into thinking mode again, to Shinra's bemusement.

"Hey Shinra, do you think I would be top or bottom? Honestly."

"With Shizuo?"

"Yeah."

"Bottom."

Shinra said without hesitation, and Izaya looked amused.

"Are you sure? What if it's the opposite way around?"

"But that's impossible, since it's Shizuo. Before you two became lovers he was the one who gave chase and you were the one running away – the dynamic is already established, isn't it? You're not the type to push someone down, especially a dominant man like Shizuo, you're too much of a controlled man to perform such an aggressive act. I suppose you could do it to see their reaction – but it's not as if you would have any of such intentions."

"You're not submissive, but you're not aggressive either. You're domineering, but you're not dominant. You can hold your own against Shizuo but your strength is defensive. Not like Shizuo's aggressive strength or even Celty's neutral strength. You're not like Shizuo who doesn't hesitate to unleash his power or Celty who will use her power if she has to, your fighting skills are to defend yourself not attack someone. With that kind of mentality, how can you dominate someone aggressive like Shizuo?"

"After all, you just want to 'see', and that mostly involves putting yourself in a passive position, doesn't it? And it's not as if you have repressed desires of any sort which could lead to aggression – since you're a man eternally true to your own desires; unless your desires are left unfulfilled because they involve someone else."

Izaya was silent with a smile on his face as Shinra dissected him like he would one of his patients, as Shinra continued without missing a beat.

"Of course since Shizuo loves you he would probably let you top if you wanted to but would you even want to –"

"What did you say?"

"Eh? That Shizuo would let you top?"

"Before that, Shinra."

The smile was gone from Izaya's face, an unusual action for the man who always had a perpetual smile on his face.

Noticing this, Shinra thought back to the previous moment and deduced –

"….That Shizuo loves you?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? Isn't Shizuo in love with you?"

Shinra spoke as if he was slightly surprised Izaya hadn't known.

"Is he?"

"Isn't he? Why would Shizuo be together with you if he doesn't love you? Especially when you've been his enemy for most of his life? Shizuo's an honest man so the only reason for him to be together with you is because his feelings have changed from hatred to love right?"

"…Heiwajima Shizuo is in love with me?"

Shinra looked at Izaya, adjusting his glasses as he did so.

"…Yes."

His only friend was smiling at him.

"Heiwajima Shizuo is in love with you, Orihara Izaya."

Silence, as Izaya tried to comprehend information an information broker like him hadn't known –

And its reliability –

The source of which was going forth as if he had figured out the issue from one glance –

"So if you're worried about being the bottom forever, you don't have to be. Shizuo might seem rigid but he's a pretty flexible guy if you talk to him and don't piss him off. You just have to tell him, and he'll listen. Otherwise he'll just take it as everything is fine and the relationship is going well."

Which he was wrong about, for once.

But Izaya didn't even feel amused at this.

 _No I'm worried about being the top forever_

Izaya had such half-sarcastic thoughts to himself as he smoothly moved on.

"It's not as if I have an example to follow, since even though Shizu-chan and I aren't gay, we're the only ones in a homosexual relationship since we happen to be attracted to each other who is male. Everyone else in this city is more or less in a heterosexual relationship – even the guy with the weirdest relationship ever; his lover is headless, but still female."

"Why do you need to model your relationship off someone else's? I never thought you were the type to imitate others, Izaya. Even though it seemed impossible, I thought if you ever got into a relationship you would do everything possible to make it unique and yours."

Shinra had bounced his idea back at him so hard Izaya was taken aback.

"Like Celty and I! In our relationship, I focus on us – I don't compare us to say, Mikado-kun and Anri-chan, even though we're both heterosexual couples. What is there to compare? My love for Celty can't be compared to anyone else's!"

Shinra was staring with starry eyes, but Izaya was no longer paying attention.

 _Shinra is right._

 _Why did I wish for a model to follow?_

 _Why did I think that?_

 _It's not like me at all_

 _…..Just what is it that I want from my relationship with that man?_

 _Honestly, I don't know._

 _I've never had a relationship before._

 _….Seriously, that guy always causes me trouble….._

"It's fine, isn't it?"

His friend of almost a decade seemed to be speaking again, and Izaya blinked.

"To not follow the crowd. After all, you're Orihara Izaya, and he's Heiwajima Shizuo. It's nothing unusual. Since it's you two, and the both of you have never had a relationship before, being troubled over it is nothing surprising."

"Whatever kind of relationship you end up with, it would be the result of Heiwajima Shizuo and Orihara Izaya getting together, something unpredictable that has never happened before so whatever happens would be something even information broker Orihara Izaya wouldn't know."

Izaya couldn't refrain from staring at Shinra.

"…..Are you…trying to…."

The word was so foreign to him that it took Izaya a while to find it.

"…..cheer me up?"

Shinra looked amused, and Izaya had the fleeting thought he must look pretty bad now.

Thankfully, his face remained at a normal temperature.

"Well, I suppose. I know it must be foreign to a bastard like you – but as a friend, I am trying to cheer my friend up. After all you're not even looking like a bastard anymore…..more like a lost child."

Shinra said in his usual light-hearted tone despite the look in his eyes.

"Ha…hahah….I must look quite pathetic…..for the guy who has no interest in humans to take pity on me."

Izaya said with a self-deprecating smile as he averted his gaze slightly.

"….Shinra."

"What is it?"

"…..Thanks."

It was barely there, but Shinra heard it anyway.

Before Shinra could reply, Izaya stood up and spoke.

"Well then, I'll just be taking my leave –"

"Hey, Shinra. The door was open so I just came in –"

Two pairs of brown eyes blinked at the same time.

"Oh, Shizuo? What a coincidence, Izaya was just leaving."

"….Ah….."

Shizuo was looking at Izaya from where he stood a distance away from the couch, as he moved closer.

Izaya moved to meet him.

"Hey, Shizu-chan."

Izaya said. He still acted the same way when Shizuo hadn't been his lover, speaking flippantly –

But after which he leaned up to kiss Shizuo affectionately on the cheek, touching briefly his lover's wild blond hair.

Shizuo turned his head and his smiling lips met the side of Izaya's head.

"Izaya."

He said simply, but his expression was one of contentment.

Izaya smiled as Shizuo leaned down and nuzzled his neck, pressing a kiss to the pale skin. Patting Shizuo's hair, he asked.

"Why is Shizu-chan here?"

"….Came to see Shinra 'bout somethin'. ….You?"

Shizuo replied in a mumble from Izaya's neck, but his sharp eyes were already surveying his form.

"I'm not here for medical reasons."

Izaya said and messed up Shizuo's hair for good measure.

Shizuo drew away and wrapped an arm around Izaya's waist, muttering.

"That's good."

He said and was about to lean down and kiss his lover, when a voice called out.

"Not to interrupt the moment – but might I remind you two to not commit lovey-dovey acts right in front of my virgin eyes! In the sanctity of my and Celty's lovey-dovey home?!"

"Ahhhhh?!"

Shizuo growled and Izaya looked on in amusement.

"Bastard….you got a problem with my display of affection towards my flea? In that case…..I'LL KNOCK YOU OUT SO YOU CAN'T SEE!"

Shizuo roared as he lifted up the couch with one hand, the other hand holding Izaya by the waist.

"Wahhhh! No! I HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL, REALLY! So just put my couch down alright Shizuo?"

Shinra said, already backing away as he looked warily at his own couch above Shizuo's head.

"You sure were kicking up a fuss a while ago….."

Shizuo said and would have advanced threateningly had he not been holding Izaya possessively to him.

"A-Ah, well look, didn't you say you wanted to talk to me about something? You can't do that if you knock me out. Right, Izaya?"

"I don't know. If what Shizu-chan wants to talk to you about is more significant than you interrupting our lovey-dovey moment, that is."

Izaya said, and seemed perfectly smug snuggled up against Shizuo's chest, to Shinra's chagrin.

"No Orihara-kun, that display doesn't suit you at all! It would be more fitting for an innocent female – like Celty! Ahhhh Celty resting against my chest….!"

Shinra said and went into a lovey-dovey trance before he remembered the threat looming over him –

"Speaking of which, you're usually the one Shizuo-kun throws things at, how did I become a target?! Ahhh you two becoming lovers is really bad for my health –"

"BADDDDDD?!"

"Trigger word," Izaya sighed exaggeratedly as he spoke nonchalantly from Shizuo's chest, flipping a hand with an amused smirk.

"…Do it, my monster."

Shizuo grinned ferociously as Shinra was scrambling away. He threw the couch forward –

Or would have had it not been restrained by a force outside of his control. Shizuo blinked, craning his neck to look.

Shinra noticed before him, and the headless woman who had intervened for her lover's health was soon tackled by him.

"Celty! Just in time, my darling! Did you sense it? Did you sense I was in danger?! Ah Celty, I always knew our hearts were connected through space and time –! Saving me from being flattened by our own living room couch…what a wonderful wife you are! That's right Celty, our furniture should be placed properly on the floor and not used to injure innocent people, especially not the couch where we –"

[I'm not your wife! W-We're not married yet!]

Celty finally managed after freaking out as she was suddenly hugged by Shinra in front of Shizuo and Izaya. She shoved Shinra away.

[Cut that last sentence! Have you no shame?! Also, I doubt you were innocent. What did you say to piss Shizuo off?]

"W-Wha Celty…..!"

Shinra whined, but Celty didn't give in, and she held out her hands to stop Shinra from hugging her again.

"Shizuo and Izaya were being lovey-dovey in our home! Our home, Celty! So I just said to take that elsewhere, and Shizuo got mad! Izaya encouraged him and he was about to throw the couch at me before you came, Celty!"

Shinra spoke with excited black eyes as he reached forward again.

"That's why, Celty! We must make up with our lovey-doveyness, let me kiss you on the neck like Shizuo did to Izaya – oof!"

[We don't need to make up for that! And of course Shizuo would get mad, if you interrupt his moment with his lover!]

"But I didn't want to witness such a scene with Izaya and Shizuo in our home! And Celty why don't you let me hug you – look at Shizuo and Izaya! Look at the romantic position they're in even when Shizuo is holding our couch above his head – it's unfair! It's unfair, Celty! If Celty won't let me hold her around the waist, would you like to hold me instead?! Celty is the one battling Shizuo after all, I shall be just a helpless damsel in distress seeking protection in my knight's arms from that vicious tiger!"

Shinra said with a dreamy look in his eyes and proceeded to swoon like a 'damsel in distress' and Celty jolted and backed away –

Causing a yelp to sound as Shinra hit the ground as he wasn't caught by his headless 'knight'.

"Owwww…owowow! Ahhh Celty why didn't you catch me….!"

[How could I?!]

Celty responded but helped Shinra up, pressing her hand to his forehead.

[Are you alright? You didn't hit your head too hard, did you?]

"Ahahha…I'm fine Celty! Ah even if Celty didn't catch me, being shown such concern by Celty is revitalizing!"

Shinra was swooning again as he clutched Celty's hand and Celty just shook her neck as she turned to Shizuo and Izaya.

[Sorry for Shinra's rudeness. But Shizuo, that's our couch so could you put it down?]

Shizuo scoffed but moved to put the couch down as Celty removed her shadows.

"….Fine. But the next time he interrupts a moment with my lover I won't show any mercy."

Shizuo growled and Shinra flinched, scooting over to Celty's side.

"I won't! I'll keep my mouth sealed shut the next time so spare me from your violence, Shizuo-kun! And Izaya-kun, won't you say something as a responsible lover?!"

"But I agree with Shizu-chan. I don't appreciate my touching moment with my lover being interrupted either."

Izaya said with a sharp smile and Shinra grimaced.

"Ahhh….what an aggressive couple! Look at them! Look at them, Celty! Celty and I are just trying to live peacefully in our home and yet Shizuo and Izaya are disturbing our peace! I thought they wouldn't do so anymore now that they've become a couple but it's not the case at all! It's Shizuo and Izaya after all! In fact it's worse – now that they're agreeing with each other's aggressiveness!"

[Noted. Right, Shinra?]

"Right….Celty….!"

Celty flinched as Shinra had begun rubbing his head against her shoulder.

[Will you stop that?!]

"But having had to deal with that crazy couple over there, being reunited with Celty again is just – heavenly bliss! I'm so happy, Celty!"

Celty 'sighed'. With Shinra resting happily against her shoulder, she flashed her PDA to the blond and black haired man.

[Ignore him. Anyway what are you two here for?]

"Shizu-chan came to talk to Shinra, and I did too. So I'll just be leaving now, so if you would get your lover back to reality lest mine gets pissed off again….."

Izaya gestured with a smile, somehow managing to seem elegant while being settled comfortably against Shizuo's chest, his other hand running through Shizuo's hair, an action which seemed to calm the man in a bartender suit down.

[You heard that, didn't you? Stop fooling around and go talk to your friend!]

"The friend who almost threw our couch at me?"

[Yes. And he wouldn't have done that if you hadn't pissed him off.]

Celty responded, as if she couldn't believe Shinra would piss Shizuo off even after knowing him for years.

"Ahh….alright if Celty says so…"

Shinra bemoaned as he had to leave Celty's shoulder. He moved forward, smiling sheepishly at Shizuo.

"Hey, so what did you want to talk about?"

Shizuo removed his lips from Izaya's forehead. Taking note of the situation, Izaya ruffled his hair then extricated himself from Shizuo's hold, pressing an affectionate departing kiss to his other cheek before striding smoothly away.

[I'll see you out.]

"That would be appreciated."

Shizuo watched as Izaya exited the apartment, Celty following him.

"….What did you and Izaya talk about?"

Shizuo said almost distractedly as he stared after his lover.

"That's private information, Shizuo."

Shizuo frowned at being deprived of information on his lover, but shrugged it off since it was Shinra saying it.

After all if Shinra whom he considered an invasive nutjob was saying it was private information, it probably really was.

The door closed behind Izaya and Celty. Shaking his head of wild blond hair, Shizuo plopped himself down on the couch that was once again on the ground.

"Anyway, Shinra."

"What is it, Shizuo?"

Shinra asked as he took a seat opposite the blond, who said as if recalling –

"….There's something I need to talk to you about."

Shinra looked contemplative for a moment, before he spoke.

"….I've been wondering but….why me?"

"Huh?"

Shizuo said as his childhood friend gave him a sheepish smile.

"I mean, this is very unusual for you, Shizuo, to confide in me. You usually talk to Celty."

"….Ah. Yeah I wanted to – but I thought it would be better to come to you."

"….Since you're probably the guy who knows Izaya the best."

Shinra was sweating slightly as Shizuo stared at him as if unhappy at that.

"...I'm honored you think so, Shizuo-kun….being Izaya's lover and all…."

He treaded carefully, not wanting to set Shizuo off again –

After he had become more peaceful while in a romantic relationship with Izaya.

Especially after it had killed two birds with one stone – being that Izaya also taunted him much less it was nonexistent compared to the past.

Or three, since it meant less trouble for Ikebukuro from its two biggest troublemakers who were no longer causing each other as much trouble as before.

Thus Shinra supported the abnormal relationship between two of Ikebukuro's most abnormal, wholeheartedly –

For it was the catalyst for ensuring his peaceful everyday life with Celty.

Though, he hadn't expected to need to be the facilitator for the unusual couple.

 _When did I become a love counsellor?_

Shinra thought, but turned his attention back to Shizuo when the man in a bartender suit began to speak.

…

"...So…..Izaya's been pretty distant lately…..."

…

…

* * *

Celty, who had been waiting outside after seeing Izaya out, turned when the door opened.

[Did you manage to clear your doubts?]

"To be honest, I'm not sure."

Shizuo replied as he walked forward. He clicked his tongue, looking sideways before lapsing into silence.

"….Hey Celty. Am I a bad lover?"

If Celty had a head, she would have blinked. Slightly taken aback by the sudden question from Shizuo, she inquired –

[Why do you think that?]

"…I don't know. I just feel I'm not doing something right, but I don't know what it is. That's why Izaya's been distant. I told Shinra about it, but he said it's nothing much. He won't tell me what Izaya talked to him about…..he said I should figure things out on my own. But he said it's nothing to worry about."

"…..Somehow, that isn't really reassuring. I just want to know the reason."

Shizuo said, and stood in silence again. Celty thought over his words for a while, before communicating to him.

[I'm not sure. I don't know the details, so I can't say whether you did something wrong.]

"I see."

[But, Izaya isn't the type of man who will allow himself to be trapped in a relationship that isn't good for him. Since he's the type to just do whatever he wants for his own sake.]

[So if he's in a relationship with you, there's no way you can be a bad lover, at least in his eyes.]

Shizuo looked at her from behind his sunglasses, and Celty concluded for him.

[It's probably some personal issue. I don't think Izaya has ever had a relationship before, so he may be personally troubled. But since he wasn't being distant just now, I think the issue is resolved after he talked to Shinra.]

"….Yeah."

It was just a single word, but Shizuo's expression seemed to have lightened as he turned his gaze with a wry smile.

"That flea's a liar, and he can't be honest. That's why I thought, even if I asked him if something was wrong, I wouldn't get a straight answer."

"….But, he's honest in his actions. His actions speak louder than his words. He can't lie with what he does, and I felt it just now."

The blond man in a bartender suit pushed up his sunglasses, averting his gaze.

"It's stupid but…..I felt a bit jealous of Shinra. Even though I'm his lover, Izaya can't talk to me so he has to go to Shinra. …..Even though I'm doing the same with you…and Shinra himself. It doesn't really make sense….and it kind of pisses me off."

Celty's shoulders shook at this as if she was laughing, but it was not mocking. She had to gather herself before she could express herself to Shizuo.

[Don't worry! :) It's normal when you have a lover. It's because Shinra always says he only needs me that I'm doing the opposite – encouraging him to foster connections. If he was more open to making friends, I would probably be jealous as well.]

"Really?"

Shizuo asked, his eyes filled with open curiosity.

[Yeah. At least Shinra says he's jealous of me knowing more and more people, but it's just that. I know he's actually happy for me that I'm talking to more people. Isn't it the same for you?]

"…That may be true. I don't have to be jealous of other people because Izaya says his love for me is on a different level than that for his humans, who don't like him anyway. So I actually think he should talk to people more."

Shizuo muttered as if to himself, then shifted his gaze to his friend with a smile.

"But you're right, Celty. I'm still a bit jealous…..but if talking to Shinra helped him resolve whatever issue he was dealing with, then I'm glad. Even if I wasn't the one to help him with it."

"Because it's better than that flea being distant…it's not like him at all. He's like an invasive cockroach that creeps up on you, or a shitty flea who clings on you and sucks whatever you have to give, and anything else is just weird."

Shizuo was attaching such negative connotations to his own lover, but the smile on his face as he talked belied such.

The sunglasses-wearing man in a bartender suit chuckled and gave his friend the woman in a rider suit a sheepish smile.

"Ahhhhh….I kind of feel better now after talking to you about it. Thanks for listening to me."

[No problem. I know we haven't talked for a while since Izaya became your lover, so I thought maybe he was helping you deal with things. But I'm always here if you need a listening ear.]

"Yeah. Thanks, Celty. Then, I'll see you around."

Shizuo said with a casual wave as he departed, his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

…

Celty looked after him for a while, before she turned and made her way into the house she shared with Shinra – whom she met when she opened the door.

[Has anyone ever told you it's not polite to eavesdrop?]

"But I wasn't eavesdropping! I got impatient because Celty didn't come in for so long, so I was going to check up on Celty! But you were talking to Shizuo, so I just stood and waited."

Shinra said with a bright smile like a child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar but didn't see anything wrong about it.

"So, Shizuo is jealous of me huh? Eh, he must really like Izaya then. Possibly even love. Ah, but what I'm more interested in is what you said! Celty, would you really be jealous if I made more friends; because hearing you say that makes me eager to make more friends so I can see Celty's beautiful jealousy – should I give Celty the cold shoulder like Izaya did to Shizuo –gwah!"

[I dare you.]

Shinra smiled sheepishly at those words from his beloved even after being punched in the stomach.

"I'm joking! Unlike a certain other someone, I would never do that to my lover. How could I?! Whenever I see Celty I feel so happy, nothing Celty does could ever upset me, I could never even pretend to be mad at Celty!"

Shinra had said these words as he twirled around the entrance of their home, his white lab coat swirling around him as he threw his hands up into the air with a happy smile on his face.

Celty briefly wondered if her friend Shizuo had to deal with the same childish action from the man in a fur trimmed jacket, as Shinra ended his twirling by taking hold of her hands.

"Ah Celty, I really love you!"

Shinra sighed in pure happiness, as if he was a man who had come upon an oasis in a desert.

[So you wouldn't be mad even if I cheated on you?]

"Ehhhhhhhh?!"

The way Shinra's eyes widened so suddenly was almost comical, and Celty couldn't help but giggle a little.

[I'm joking. I would never do that. Who would I even cheat on you with, idiot.]

"Shizuo?"

Shinra said, and Celty just 'sighed' at him.

[Shizuo already has a lover. And more importantly….I have one too.]

She conveyed to Shinra as she clasped his hands, and Shinra's expression transformed into one of joy.

"Celtyyyyyy….!"

For once, Celty didn't resist when Shinra hugged her, perhaps because saying that she already had Shinra as her lover while her close friend Shizuo had his own made her aware of how she really did have a lover.

 _That's right_

 _This guy is my lover_

 _He's really energetic, a bit annoying, and he can never stop talking nonsense_

 _But he's also really caring and he loves me exactly the way I am_

 _…Shinra is my lover._

The headless woman placed her hands on her lover's shoulders, leaning up to rest contentedly on Shinra's shoulder as he hugged her around the waist, a blissful smile on his face.

For once, they didn't need words. Because they were communicating by touch their feelings for each other, as Shinra closed his eyes with an expression of true happiness as he held his love, and Celty allowed herself to be held by Shinra, and relaxed completely in his arms.

"I really love you, Celty."

Shinra said simply with none of his usual exuberance, as if it was a fact that would never change.

Celty didn't look at him, but her shadows held up her PDA to show him her feelings.

[…Me too.]

She felt herself squeezed a bit tighter and couldn't help but smile inwardly as Shinra was making happy noises.

[Don't get used to it.]

She said fondly, but her lover seemed to take her seriously.

"I could never! People say if you do something too often you'd get bored because you satiate to it, but I could never tire of Celty's lovely body –! It's so smooth and perfect and it belongs to Celty and even your brea-"

Shinra's perverted nature unfortunately came through and the cost was his lover leaving his arms and 'shouting' in his face.

[Don't be a pervert!]

"Ahahaha….Celty's blushing face is so cute – gahhh!"

Celty was so embarrassed she barely remembered to not hit Shinra in the exact same place as earlier.

She had no idea how Shinra could look so happy even while doubled over in pain, but remembered her lover was probably a masochist.

"Well if it's for Celty I'm a masochist, but the true masochist is Izaya –"

[S-Stop reading my mind!]

"Ahahaha….sorry, Celty. But your expression was basically telling me I'm a masochist! So if it's for Celty, I will be as masochistic as Celty wants!"

[I don't want you to be masochistic!]

"B-But I could never be a sadist towards my beloved Celty –"

[That's not the point!]

Celty covered her 'face' with her hand. Feeling as if the conversation was going nowhere, she decided to return to their original topic.

[Speaking of Izaya…]

"Hm? What about him?"

Celty wondered how to convey what she was feeling, before deciding on just saying what she thought.

[It's been a month, and I still can't believe it.]

And then as if reminiscing, she paused for a moment.

 _Though, it's been only a week since we knew_

…

* * *

 **Shinra and Celty's apartment, a week ago sometime in July**

…

"I think asking Izaya would be the fastest. As long as you're honest, you can work hard together. What do you think?"

"….Yeah, that flea's an informant."

Shizuo said after he had thought contemplatively about this, and Shinra was slack in surprise for a while.

"…..Eh?"

He said as if he hadn't expected the result of his own actions.

Celty, who had been scolding Shinra in her 'head', paused in her scolding to stare in stunned silence at Shizuo who was calmly drinking tea.

 _Eh?_

 _Wait, rewind._

 _Shizuo suddenly said he told Mikado he was quitting the Dollars_

 _And I thought it could be because of that he's acting weird_

 _Then I said Mikado is just a kid so we shouldn't involve him in the stalker incident, and Shizuo agreed_

 _Then….Then Shinra brought Izaya up out of nowhere – just when Izaya hasn't been seen for weeks!_

 _We expected Shizuo to get mad, but he didn't. And now he's just calmly sipping his tea!_

 _S-Shouldn't the tea be spilled because he broke the cup?!_

 _…..There's no connection here!_

Kasuka had his mouth slightly open in surprise, as Ruri looked puzzled.

Anri didn't seem like she could comprehend what was happening.

A meow came from Dokusonmaru, like even he was befuddled at the situation.

Shizuo, oblivious to all this, tilted his head and muttered to himself:

"….Would texting or calling be faster?"

He put down the unbroken cup and took out his cellphone, dialed a number then held the phone to his ear.

 _Wait, wasn't Izaya stabbed and hospitalized?_

 _He hasn't contacted me since_

 _Even if it's Izaya, should we be disturbing a guy in the hospital?_

Celty hadn't seen the report headline, 'Stabbed Patient Vanished?!' and she was drawing such conclusions based on the lack of jobs from Izaya lately.

It also seemed she had temporarily forgotten about her disregard towards Izaya on the basis of not disturbing an injured patient in the hospital.

Celty was about to put aside all the confusion and suggest to Shizuo this, when Shizuo spoke.

"Oi, you're from Dollars too right? I quitted the gang already, so you got any inside information?"

"….About what….you've heard of the stalker incident haven't you? My little brother and his lover are in danger, so I need your help."

Shinra's mouth was opening and closing like he was dumbfounded as he was for once speechless.

"…..Whatever, you're a broker too right. You know what's going on, don't you?"

"…Tch! Like hell I'm going to say that. ….Oi you flea…I don't have time for games here….JUST GIVE ME THE INFORMATION ALREADY OR OUR DATE'S OFF!"

Shizuo said, his expression twisted with anger like everytime he was dealing with Izaya, but the words that had come out of his mouth were ones none of the room's occupants had never expected he would ever say.

Shinra and Celty turned to each other with a 'did you hear what I just heard' look, as Shizuo continued on, clueless about the reactions his statement had caused.

"…..Not even for your lover?"

Shizuo spoke in a low tone of voice.

Shinra looked like he wanted to express his incredulity, but Celty shut him up with her hand despite trembling with her shadows herself.

The look on Kasuka's face was even more blank than usual.

"….Hmm. I see. So basically it's a group of stalkers but there's a main guy and he's the mastermind….got it. So I just have to kill that guy. Any idea where he is?"

"….Huh? Tomorrow? ….Oi, why the hell do I have to wait until TOMORROW?!"

The voice on the other end spoke, and Shizuo's eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses.

"….This isn't a trick of yours, is it? You aren't going to use me for some shitty plan…are you?"

"…Trust you? Why would I –"

The voice said something again, and Shizuo began to look slightly embarrassed.

"….Shit, don't pull that same card! ….Ahh fine, guess I have no choice. You better be available tomorrow you hear….."

Shizuo paused as he listened to the voice on the other side of the phone, before his expression relaxed with a smile.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll come over with ootoro once everything is done."

"…Thanks Izaya. See you."

Shizuo said and hung up the phone, then turned to the people around him.

"Right, so I'm gonna kill that stalker tomorrow, Izaya's gonna give me his location…..eh…..what was his name again…..adami? No, that's not right…"

Shizuo put his chin on his hand, before he noticed the silence that surrounded him.

"What is it?"

Shizuo's words sprung Shinra from his seat as he shook Shizuo vigorously by the shoulders, forgetting all concept of personal space for the man in a bartender suit for the action was definitely not in the 'safe zone'.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHAT IS IT''?! Rather, we should be asking 'What was that'!" S-Since when did you and I-Izaya….!"

"…Ah….you and Izaya….Shizuo and Izaya….that's just not right!"

Shizuo's surprise turned to annoyance when Shinra clutched his shoulders and got near to his face.

"Shizuo? Shizuo? You're Heiwajima Shizuo right? Can you crush my arm – owwwww! OWOWOWOWOWWWW O-OKAY I GIVEEEEEEE."

"Calm down, brother."

Kasuka managed to say and Shizuo released Shinra, who was whimpering as he slid down to the floor, clutching his arm that had very nearly been broken.

Celty had the fleeting thought that it was like a beautiful maiden taming a wild beast as she rushed to Shinra's aid -

Which, with the situation, brought the image of a black haired man with a unnecessarily beautiful face and Celty outwardly shuddered before she managed to type -

[Are you alright, Shinra?!]

"A-Ah somehow…..but my mental state is definitely not alright! Shizuo and Izaya, Celty! Shizuo and Izaya! What? When? How?!"

"A-And why?! Since how long, and why do I only know this nowwwww?! That definitely wasn't the response I expected when I suggested to Shizuo to ask Izaya -! Why Shizuoooooo…..whyyyyyy didn't you let your childhood friend knowwww…"

Shinra whined and began rocking back and forth on the ground as Celty knelt next to him.

"Why do I have to tell you." Shizuo scoffed at him.

"Why, he says! Why? Why!? He says to the guy who has been trying to get him and Izaya to get along for years, when in fact they have been lovers!"

"T-That's right!" Shinra pointed with a frown on his face at Shizuo. "Lover! Shizuo has a lover! That guy who shows no interest in women finally has a lover, and it's a man! Not only that, it's Izaya, the guy he hates the most! Gahhhhh….I think I'm going to get an aneurysm….!"

"What, you have a problem?"

"Yeah, I have a problem! I definitely have a problem! With you not telling me you and Izaya are lovers! How long has this been going on?! Don't tell me – years?! Have you been lying –"

"While brother is able to act, he is not a liar. It is most likely acquiring a lover happened most recently. Isn't that right, brother?"

"Yeah. You're right, Kasuka."

Shizuo crossed his arms with a nod as if he was recalling such.

"L….Lover?" Anri whispered with a blush on her face.

Shizuo blinked as if he had forgotten about her until that moment. He raised a hand to the back of his head.

"….Uh….that is…..you and Ryuugamine can go slow. No rush…..take your time….I only recently acquired a lover too, so you kids can wait….yeah."

Shizuo nodded with an encouraging smile, and blinked when Anri gasped and moved back, Dokusonmaru almost falling off her at the sudden movement and letting out an indignant 'Meow!'.

"P-Please don't tease me like that! R-Ryuugamine-kun and I aren't…..!"

Anri said and blushed a deeper red, and Shizuo tilted his head, then turned to Celty.

"….Was I not supposed to say that?"

Celty just hung her neck at the blond man's lack of social awareness as she typed up her reply.

[No, actually. But more importantly, since when did you and Izaya…?]

She shuddered at the mere thought, and it was only Shizuo's open expression which held her back from expressing her disgust – as she was reminded of Karisawa Erika's fantasies about Shizuo and Izaya as lovers.

"Yes. Why did you not tell us, brother?"

"….Is it the sort of thing you tell to people? I thought having a lover was something private. I mean except between you and me Kasuka, since we're family."

Shizuo spoke, then stared as if his own words had made him realize something.

"….Ahhh that's right, I forgot to tell you. Sorry. Ahhh….you've let me know you've gotten a lover, and I didn't let you know I got one too…..sorry Kasuka."

He said apologetically to his brother, who said with an expressionless face, "It's alright, brother. When did you acquire Orihara Izaya as your lover?"

Anri tensed at the name as if just realizing who exactly Shizuo's lover was, and Ruri looked at her in concern.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah yes…."

"When…..it's hard to say. We had our first date a month ago –"

"A MONTH?!"

Shinra exclaimed as Celty jolted in shock, as Shizuo continued speaking, " –yeah it was about a month. We started dating in June. But we weren't lovers then, so the exact time is hard to say."

"I guess we got closer with more dates, and eventually we became lovers. ….Somehow, I fell for him, and it just happened."

Shizuo said with a sheepish smile on his face as he chuckled slightly, "Sorry, that doesn't really say anything, does it? I can't pinpoint the exact moment though. But Izaya confessed, I asked him out and then we began dating, just like that."

"I see. How far have you gone?"

"Uh, we've kissed and –"

"Stop stop stop! There's a kid here, Shizuo! Anri-chan is here!"

Kasuka and Shizuo turned and blinked simultaneously at the girl.

"Ahhh….yeah this isn't stuff for kids to hear…."

"My apologies."

Kasuka said and Anri replied, "It's quite alright…."

"You are happy with him, brother?"

Kasuka asked, and Shizuo responded as honestly as he could.

"He still pisses me off….but when he's not doing so, yeah. I am happy to have a lover."

"Is that so. Except for your childhood love, brother has never shown any interest in women. I didn't think it was because you preferred men, but I am glad that brother has a lover he's happy with. Congratulations, brother."

"….Yeah. Congratulations to you too, Kasuka."

The two brothers exchanged fond looks, one with a genuine smile on his face and the other with a curve of his lips. They expressed their happiness for each other in different ways, but one could tell they were close.

"So…..you like men?"

Ruri asked hesitantly as Kasuka laid a hand on her shoulder, as if treasuring her presence at that moment.

"Not really. Izaya's just an exception."

"I was never really taken by any woman either before I met you, Ruri-san."

"Y-Yuuhei-san…."

Ruri flushed, but a smile was on her face as she turned to Shizuo.

"I'm sorry….I was just surprised. I didn't mean anything by it. I mean….if someone could love a monster like me, I'm sure a man could be loved by another man too."

Ruri said with her innocent sincerity, and Shizuo furrowed his eyebrows at her.

"…..What do you mean a monster like you?"

Ruri flinched, and Kasuka gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze as he lied with a straight face:

"When Ruri-san has to put makeup to transform people into monsters, she does it very well. It's very believable. Because of that, some people have come to fear –"

"It's alright, Yuuhei-san."

Ruri interrupted unexpectedly, and Kasuka gave her a look.

"….Are you sure, Ruri-san?"

"….Yes."

"Why the change of mind?"

"Because he is your brother….I don't want to trouble you to keep secrets from the brother Yuuhei-san cares about. I….never really had a family but I think it's important to trust each other…..And now that Yuuhei-san's brother told him honestly about having a male lover…..I think Yuuhei-san should be honest with him about me as well…."

"S-Since…..I'm Yuuhei-san's…..lover."

"….Alright."

Kasuka said with his usual emotionless expression, but Ruri's eyes widened as he patted her cheek gently.

"Do your best."

Shinra was standing on his own two feet once again with Celty beside him, but even he could sense the seriousness of the situation when Ruri turned towards Shizuo, meeting his straightforward gaze.

"Actually, I…I'm the killing monster, Hollywood."

…

 **Current time**

…

"Is something the matter, Yuuhei-san?"

The man known as Hanejima Yuuhei blinked at his lover.

"…I was just thinking."

Kasuka said. He and Ruri were in an unpopulated café and they sat together in a secluded corner in order to not draw the attention of people and potential paparazzi.

"About your brother?"

Kasuka blinked, in surprise this time, and Ruri said, "Ah, it's just…..Yuuhei-san seems to be thinking a lot about his brother these days."

Remembering what he had said a week ago, she inquired, "I'm not sure but…..is it because Shizuo-san – it's the first time he has had a lover?"

"…Yes. It's the first time he's shown romantic interest in anyone, actually. Except for that woman during our childhood days, he's never shown any interest in women. Or men, for that matter."

"That's why I'm surprised. That brother got a lover. It's not as if brother lacks interest in women – his interest is in older women. But interest doesn't translate to action. There's something that's been holding him back, and his lover –Orihara Izaya managed to get him to overcome that."

 _In a way I couldn't_

Kasuka was not an intrusive person for he respected people's privacy, but he briefly wondered if he should have been a little more intrusive with his brother if it could have helped him overcome his insecurity.

"But, I suppose it makes sense. It is the guy who held his attention for years."

Kasuka spoke his thoughts out loud.

"…..Even if he's a man?"

Ruri said quietly. Kasuka looked at his lover.

"Homosexuality is looked down upon in Japan."

"…"

"For brother, it's not a matter of that. It's a matter of being able to be with someone who doesn't fear him. But that isn't what society thinks anyway."

Kasuka turned away slightly, and only one who knew him well would be able to detect the disturbance in his expression.

"It would probably be better to find a woman, but it's brother's choice."

And then, as if to convince himself, he said:

"…After all, brother has always wanted to fit in and be normal. So if he's giving up the normal Japanese life and wife and kids for another man, he must really be in love."

"Brother has never had a lover. He's never even been on a date with a girl. To become lovers in a mere month…Orihara Izaya must be really important to him."

"His first lover…..at the age of 24."

"….His very first…?"

It was all Ruri could say.

"Yes. Like I said, he's never been on a date with a woman, not even in high school. Kids his age were afraid of him, and he became a delinquent in middle and high school. He…..probably has been watching relationships from afar for a long time, with the knowledge that he wouldn't ever be able to have one."

"Because people are afraid of him and shun him, he's never even been able to believe he's just human."

"…That's…."

"Not only that. Brother may have a short temper and a violent nature, but he's a caring person. In order to not hurt others, he isolated himself from people."

"….Shizuo-san is really a kind person, isn't he?" Ruri smiled.

"…But that's….really sad. That kind of loneliness…"

"Have you ever felt it before, Ruri-san?"

"No, I don't think so." Ruri replied honestly.

"I mean, I wanted to throw away my humanity and become a monster….but since no one knew….."

She trailed off, and Kasuka agreed. "Me too. I chose to become an actor because of my brother's unconstrained emotions which I watched while growing up and most likely I missed a lot of important things a person should have."

"However, my feelings were from observation and self-doubt. I was never shunned from society like brother was, I was considered, generally speaking, a 'normal' human."

"Because I never experienced what brother has, I feel my advice could be lacking. Unless I am to experience what brother has just like I do for the characters I play, I will never be able connect with the emotions brother must feel at isolation from society."

"….That is why I never said anything. I feel any attempt to comfort brother would be insincere on my part."

Kasuka said these words not from self-justification, but from reflection of his own feelings at the situation.

"It's alright, Yuuhei-san," his lover comforted him. "I'm sure Shizuo-san understands."

"He probably does, but that does not erase my sense of guilt."

Kasuka said stonily, but Ruri just smiled at him fondly.

"If Yuuhei-san is feeling a sense of guilt, I am glad for him. After all, Yuuhei-san has always wanted to feel the emotions normal people feel. Isn't that what is happening now?"

Kasuka looked at her in genuine surprise.

"….I see. So this emotion is guilt."

He said, it was as if when he had said what he was feeling he had not even been aware of the feeling himself until his lover had pointed it out to him.

He smiled then, though it might not have been perceptible on his emotionless face –

But he still smiled, because he felt 'glad' –

For playing so many roles had enabled him to identify his specific emotion in a moment –

And because he had come to realize this because of his lover, who listened to him when he thought no one would.

After all, he couldn't even listen to himself, for he didn't even know himself.

And yet she was listening to him.

"….I am also glad, Ruri-san."

Kasuka said and leaned forward to place a kiss on Ruri's cheek with the emotion he couldn't express.

Ruri blushed but smiled back at Kasuka as she shyly met his lips.

 _I am glad you are here with me_

The words were in their kiss

– And in the air between them when they parted.

If they had been normal people, they would have felt happiness.

He was a monster who wanted to become a human.

She was a human who had wanted to become a monster.

Neither of them really knew about themselves nor thought highly of themselves – therefore they were unable to properly care for themselves.

Thus they relied on the other who understood them to care for them.

It was also because of this that they could only feel gladness at the other being there for them –

They weren't happy like normal people would be.

\- But gladness and a sense of contentment was enough for Kasuka and Ruri.

Such understanding between them was also why he could speak again, while knowing she was listening.

"But….if perhaps when he's shunned – even then if there's someone who will stay by his side…..perhaps it will be alright."

Return to conversation after a romantic moment might seem to be a mood ruiner to others, but it wasn't for the couple of Heiwajima Kasuka and Hijiribe Ruri.

For she knew expressing his feelings was something he found difficulty with, and just like how he had helped her find herself, she would help him find his feelings.

"After all, Orihara Izaya isn't exactly a man with morals himself. So he would be able to stand with the 'Monster of Ikebukuro'. In that way, Orihara makes a suitable romantic partner for him."

"…Yuuhei-san."

"What is it, Ruri-san?"

…

 _I've been selfish._

At that moment, Ruri realized.

 _I'm the killing monster Hollywood, but no one knows except for Yuuhei-san and the people who were there last time_

 _No one has known for a long time what a monster I am_

 _Even I myself….I was happy when I was called a monster as a kid because I didn't know it was true_

 _I was made an idol, and was able to live a mostly normal life_

 _Yet…Shizuo-san…._

 _Has been shunned all his life._

 _…..It's unfair, isn't it?_

 _Yet, he could forgive…someone like me._

Ruri had a bitter smile on her lips, and Kasuka inquired, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing…."

Her lover's gaze pierced through her.

"My knowledge may be incorrect, but I believe a good relationship needs honesty."

"Ahh…sorry…." Ruri apologized. "I didn't mean….."

"If you don't want to tell, it's fine. However, I asked because I was concerned. Therefore, there's no need to apologize."

"I…feel guilty as well," Ruri confessed.

"It may be silly but…..when I hear about Shizuo-san, Yuuhei-san's brother – I feel as if I was forgiven too easily. And that, I was being really selfish. I was scared of him instead of trying to understand him, when I was a monster myself…."

Ruri said as she smiled wryly, and Kasuka said emotionlessly, "It's not your fault."

"You were thinking of yourself, there's nothing wrong with that. After all, you told me you wanted to become a monster because you didn't think you deserved to be loved as a human. At that time, you were just starting to see and care for yourself as a human. It is not surprising to be selfish in that process."

"Yuuhei-san….."

"Brother does not blame you either, because you were honest with him. Brother is an honest man, so he appreciates honesty. You have confessed your sins, and you were forgiven. And that is that. There is no need to complicate the matter, in my opinion, just because you have gained new information about his circumstances. Brother would appreciate sympathy, but guilt would be counterproductive."

"Then you shouldn't feel guilty as well." Ruri couldn't help but say.

"…..That is true."

Kasuka admitted with a blank face and Ruri laughed, a fond look in her eyes. She lowered her gaze.

"But, you're right. Whether being selfish was good or bad…..it doesn't change the fact that he accepted and forgave me for my selfishness. That he told me it was alright."

As if recalling that particular moment, Ruri smiled and said as she met Kasuka's eyes –

"….You have a great brother, Yuuhei-san."

…

* * *

"…."

Shizuo's mouth was open slightly in surprise.

"…..Hollywood?"

"I'm very sorry for lying to you!"

Ruri was bowing in apology but Shizuo only looked confused.

"Wait…..Hollywood, Hollywood….."

The blond man was still thinking when he should have been shocked, when he realized –

"Ah…..serial killer Hollywood…that one?"

"Yes…"

"…..Why?"

"Eh?"

"Why did you confess your true identity? It's surprising, but it's got nothing to do with me."

"…..Well, except if you hurt Kasuka…."

Ruri almost flinched at the threatening look in brown eyes behind sunglasses.

"….But I don't think you will, or you wouldn't have told me. So, why?"

Shizuo was frowning at her, and it took Kasuka's hand on her arm to gather her courage.

"Sorry…um, do you remember that time you hit two people with a park bench…?"

Shizuo's frown grew deeper. "Yeah I do. They pissed me off, so I hit them. Those filthy robbers…."

The man in a bartender suit growled low under his breath as if he was thinking about the scene, and Ruri had to repress a flinch once more.

Her hands unclenched and clenched fabric between them, as Kasuka said, "Ruri-san."

Shizuo looked between them, and seemed to realize.

"….You saying you're one of those people?"

Ruri inhaled, then met the monster of Ikebukuro's piercing gaze.

"Yes…..it was me."

"…."

Shizuo's expression was indecipherable, it was impossible for the occupants of the room to tell what he was thinking at that moment.

"I don't know who the other person was, but one of those people was me. The one wearing the mask of a monster….."

"….I see."

Ruri struggled to meet the blond man's impenetrable gaze, before he looked to his brother.

"You knew about this, Kasuka?"

"Yes. I was the one who found Ruri-san after you hit her with that park bench, brother."

"I see, I see….."

Shizuo was speaking as if he was trying to figure out the situation on his own.

Then he said something that didn't make sense in the context of the situation at all.

"Well then, I'm glad."

"Eh?"

Ruri wasn't the only one surprised, as Shinra echoed to himself, "Glad?"

He sounded like his brain had been jumbled up by Shizuo's unpredictable actions and words and he was trying to figure out where everything was.

But Shizuo didn't even hear him.

"Well you see….it's because I hit you with that bench that you got to meet Kasuka, right? That's why I'm happy."

Shizuo was speaking with a sheepish smile on his face as he looked at Kasuka and Ruri.

"I always thought I could only enact violence and hurt people with this strength of mine. But…..to think it could cause good things to happen too, somehow it's really reassuring."

Shizuo spoke as he held his hand out, looking at it in something akin to pride for once.

 _H-He's not angry?_

Ruri was shocked. She had half-expected to be thrown across the room with the table, regardless of the presence of the monster of Ikebukuro's brother.

Or even flung through the ceiling just like how she had been flung through the sky.

 _Does that mean….._

 _I'm forgiven?_

"Um…! Pardon me, but you're not mad? I just confessed to a crime…I – I don't think you should forgive me so easily!"

It took a lot of courage for Ruri to say the words, as her hands trembled in her lap but Shizuo only looked at her directly.

"…Hey, what's with that? What do you expect me to do –"

His hand landed on the table, and she couldn't suppress a flinch.

He had only curled his fingers, but there was already a crack.

" –throw this table at you? Well it's true that I get pissed off easily…..but if there was logic I wouldn't get pissed even if I got shot or stabbed. I only lose it when things make no sense."

Shizuo said. He removed his hand from the table, leaning back in the chair again.

"And you're being honest with me. I appreciate that. Since you're making things make sense to me."

He looked at her, giving a wry smile.

"…..You have your own reasons right? It's not my business, so I won't ask."

"Why do you say that?"

"Why…..experience I guess. I've met people who I thought were bad but turned out to have reasons of their own. My first kouhai, and also recently, my lover."

As Shizuo mentioned this a frown came onto his face, but he continued speaking calmly.

"Izaya is a worse person than you are, a complete bastard and shitty flea who screws with humans to see their reactions. But even he has reasons of his own. So yeah you pissed me off…..but you're definitely not the worst."

"….Even if I've killed people?"

Ruri spoke in a low voice, but Shizuo was undaunted.

"My kouhai – Varona has killed people too, but I don't think she's a bad person."

"….."

"Besides, if Kasuka can trust you, so can I. ….Heh, his judgement is definitely better than mine. I get angry too easily, unlike my brother's cool headedness. So I trust him."

"Thanks, brother."

Kasuka finally spoke, and the gratitude he expressed was not only towards Shizuo's words.

Shizuo noticed this and gave his brother a smile, as Shinra decided to interrupt unnecessarily.

"Sorry to interrupt and trust between siblings is very well and good and all, but I think we're missing an important point here! Can we actually trust Izaya?!"

"….Ahhhhhh? Bastard…..are you saying we can't trust my lover?!"

Shizuo turned his head and growled, despite him expressing a clear lack of trust in said lover before.

Shinra looked like he was still looking for the words to express.

He settled on whining instead of speaking like a mature adult.

"….But it's Izaya! Izaya, Shizuo! _Izaya, Shizuo_! It's Izayaaaaaa, Shizuoooo…Oriharaaaaaa Izayaaaa….Izayaaaa…Izaaaaayaaaa…..!"

"OI, STOP SAYING MY LOVER'S NAME!"

Shizuo seemed to miss the point, looking like he was getting angry for a completely unrelated reason.

He seemed to have learned to hold his strength back as the table didn't break under his fist.

Shinra stopped short and stared at Shizuo.

"….Oh god, you two really are lovers. Never ever would I have expected – ahhhhhhh Celtyyyyy!"

He flung himself onto his own lover, wailing in her arms.

"I think I'm scarred for life….! Izaya and Shizuo, Celty! Shizuo and….Iii -!"

Celty patted him on the back when he almost choked, though she still looked quite shaken herself.

[C-Calm down….it's no – well it is a big deal, but nothing to agonize about….]

"And they didn't tell me! They didn't tell me Celty, neither of my only two friends told me about the sudden blossoming of their romantic relationship even though I've been their only friend for yearsssss! They left me in the dark while going frolicking off in their new field of flowers instead of the destroyed field of Ikebukuro -!"

Instead of trying to comfort the downtrodden Shinra, Celty decided on a more practical approach.

[Why didn't you tell us, Shizuo?]

"I guess I forgot…..well I did think of telling you, but I wasn't sure about it myself then. Sorry Celty. But, it's only been a month….."

[No, there's no need to apologize. It's just, as your friends, we would have liked to know. Right, Shinra?]

"I see….."

Shizuo said as if he hadn't known before as Shinra reluctantly left Celty's shoulder.

"…I got it. So should I tell you everytime Izaya and I go on a date?"

Celty flinched, then typed rapidly before Shizuo could get the wrong idea.

[N-No, not at all! You don't need to do that for the details….it's just, we would have liked to know our friend finally found himself a lover, who's also someone we know…..]

"Ah, so that's it."

Shizuo seemed to understand at this point, nodding to himself as Shinra sniffed.

"….Oi, Shinra."

"…."

Shizuo sighed, then said as he looked at his childhood friend.

"….My…..bad. So, Izaya and I are together now….you got a problem with that?"

He said in his usual way but didn't sound as aggressive as he usually did with the bespectacled man who had been one of his only companions from young.

"N-Not at all…..Shizuo."

"….That's good then."

Shizuo said as he turned away with a satisfied look.

'Does that mean he actually cares about my opinion' – was all over Shinra's face.

"Eh….Shizuo?"

"What?"

"It is good." Shizuo blinked at Shinra in surprise.

"…It's good that you and Izaya have finally managed to resolve your differences. I'm glad."

Shinra said with a smile on his face as he looked straight at Shizuo.

"Ahhh…."

Shizuo looked like he wasn't sure how to respond, as Shinra continued cheerfully, seemingly back to his usual nature –

"I mean, even though it's disturbing to think about it's way better than me having to intervene everytime you two get into a fight just by meeting each other – or worse, Celty! Now that you two are together, I can spend more time with Celty when she doesn't have to go break up your fights like that time at the shrine on New Year's! How could you two even get into a fight at a shrine of all places anyway? Don't you have any humble respect for the gods at all?!"

"Ahhh? Tch! That flea pissed me off first!"

"Ah yeah that – so, doesn't Izaya piss you off anymore?"

"What are you talking about, of course he does."

"Even though he's your lover?"

"Doesn't make a difference."

Shizuo scoffed and Shinra said, "So if Izaya still pisses you off….why is he your lover?"'

"Because I decided he was to be my lover."

Shizuo said bluntly, and Shinra smiled, "And why did you decide that?"

"Why else? Because I wanted Izaya to be my lover."

"And what made you desire Izaya as your lover, when you two have been enemies for so long?"

"What is this, an interview?" Shizuo said dryly, but answered anyway.

"…Because he confessed to me."

Shinra looked like he was just starting to understand, but before he could say anything a female voice spoke.

"Sorry for interrupting, but Shizuo-san, I want to say something to you…"

"Hm? What is it Ruri? Eh, calling you 'Ruri' is fine right?"

"Ah yes it's fine…!"

Ruri said and even seemed a little glad at being called so informally.

"Thank you…"

She said what she had wanted to say, and Shizuo blinked at her as she smiled at him.

"And um, please tell your lover thank you on my behalf! I'm very grateful, that the incident can be resolved so the stalker won't attack anyone close to me….I'm very grateful to both him and you."

Ruri said and clutched onto Kasuka's sleeve as she did so, a brilliant smile on her beautiful face.

"….Thank you so much!"

The man in a bartender suit tilted his head at her, before he leaned back.

"….You're a kind person, aren't you?"

Shizuo said while giving off a smile of kindness himself.

She looked surprised.

He gave a laugh, and jerked his thumb towards himself with a grin.

"Yeah, leave it all to me."

…

…

* * *

 **An hour ago, outside Shinra and Celty's apartment**

…

[You're serious about Shizuo, right?]

"Seriously?"

[Sorry. I didn't mean to doubt you.]

Celty apologized automatically at Izaya's disbelieving look.

While she still didn't entirely trust Izaya, she was willing to try if Shizuo could trust him.

The expression Izaya had given her as if he was caught off guard made her feel slightly guilty for asking the question out of nowhere, when she was supposed to be seeing him out and he hadn't made any taunting comments.

"You just wanted to confirm?"

Izaya looked bemused.

When Celty didn't deny it, he slid his hands into his pockets with a smile.

"Yes. I am serious about Shizuo."

[I see…..]

Celty said once she had gotten over her surprise.

[Somehow, you've become…..more honest.]

"Since honesty got Shizu-chan to ask me out, I thought it could provide me more advantages in the future."

Izaya smiled sheepishly. Then he laughed to himself, a fond look on his face.

"Seriously, the whole thing felt like a dream. But I went to Ikebukuro for our date anyway, and lo and behold there Shizu-chan was, not in his bartender suit for once. It's a good thing I did change my attire as well, or we probably wouldn't be together now. I'd have been booted out with, "Didn't I tell you not to come to Ikebukuro!" …With Shizu-chan totally forgetting I'm here for our date."

Izaya said, a smile on his face as he raised his gaze to the sky.

"Funny, isn't it? It was just a small thing, but it changed the course of events and our relationship to such a great extent. It's like the butterfly effect."

He seemed to be reminiscing as he said his next words –

"…If he hadn't seen me that day….."

Celty let a moment of silence pass, leaving Izaya to his own thoughts.

"Everything….really has changed."

Izaya murmured with a smile with an emotion only he would know.

Celty took the moment to convey to him.

[It changed others' relationship too.]

"…Really."

[Yeah. Because of that Ruri-chan was able to confess to Shizuo.]

"….Confess to Shizu-chan?"

[Not like that! Sorry, that was a rather misleading statement. I mean, she was able to confess to Shizuo that she's Hollywood – and that someone he hit with a park bench.]

"Ah, is that so."

Izaya said, his expression relaxed once again as he smirked.

"Hey Celty."

[What is it?]

"Do you think Shizuo is serious about me? Honestly."

"…."

"No need to hold back your thoughts," Izaya said with a wry smile on his face.

"I won't be hurt. Let me know your honest opinion, Headless Rider. There's no need to treat me differently now that I'm your friend's lover. It creeps me out."

 _This esper….._

Celty thought in exasperation as her shoulders slumped. She gathered her thoughts for a moment before showing them to Izaya.

[Honestly, I can't give a solid answer. Shizuo and I haven't been talking that much lately, I suppose he's been busy with you. I only knew he was going out with you a week ago.]

"I see. So he's –"

[No, that doesn't really provide any justification as to whether Shizuo is serious about you.]

Celty interrupted Izaya, much to his surprise.

[So if I had to say – yes. I do think Shizuo is serious about you. He didn't tell anyone until we asked, like he wanted to work things out on his own. He told Ruri that it's because of you that he learnt that bad people could be forgiven. He seemed to be thinking of his relationship with you.]

"…"

[And – it's Shizuo. If he wasn't serious about you, he wouldn't be together with you, right? Shizuo's an honest guy, unlike you. When he says you're his lover, we know he's serious considering how you're his first lover. Unlike when you say you're Shizuo's lover.]

[But now that I've heard from you, well I'm reassured. Such insecurity is unlike you, so you really are serious about Shizuo…if he can affect someone like you.]

"….Haha. Am I that transparent now?"

Izaya finally said, but he couldn't keep the gladness out of his expression.

[Yes, and I must say I prefer it much more than the bastard you were.]

"So I'm not a bastard anymore?"

[You're much less of a bastard now.]

Izaya only chuckled good naturedly, and at that moment Celty felt as if she could get along with him.

Izaya seemed extremely pleased. She never thought he could have that sort of look on his face if it didn't involve his twisted plans for his humans.

"Ahhh yes…..this is much better than your feigned politeness. Offering to show the guy you dislike out just because he's your friend's lover….or did you see it as an opportunity to corner me with questions?"

Izaya smiled, but it was not a malicious smile. There was no taunting tone in his words.

He turned and walked away, calling over his shoulder.

"Well thanks for your input, Celty. As usual I'll see you around."

She watched him go, as she thought to herself.

 _Orihara Izaya is actually a good guy now._

 _Wonders in Ikekbukuro will never cease._

…

The Headless Rider shook her neck, before turning to wait for the man in a bartender suit to emerge.

The sunset that filled her vision would have made her smile if she had a face.

As it was, her head was still with the man who had left, and so she smiled in her heart.

 _This city…._

 _It really has become peaceful._

She thought of why, and the notion of Shizuo and Izaya as a couple made her think to how Shinra had wanted them to get along –

And her own relationship with the human whom she was in love with, causing a peaceful feeling to fill her heart.

 _Isn't that right…Shinra?_


	2. Chapter 2

…

 **Somewhere in Ikebukuro**

…

The information broker in a fur trimmed jacket was walking along the streets of the city when the high school boy found him.

"Izaya-san! Good evening!"

"Good evening, Mikado-kun. So?"

"Eh?"

"Surely you didn't call me just to say 'good evening', did you?"

The black haired man turned with a smooth smile, and the black haired boy laughed sheepishly.

"Ahahaha….no, of course not! Actually, I wanted to thank you."

"…..Thank me?"

Izaya's smile was bemused. Mikado nodded energetically, his face innocent looking despite the sharp look he had gained in his eyes.

"Yes. I'm grateful for your interference during the Hijiribe Ruri stalker incident. If you hadn't interfered, Izaya-san, I probably would have set off on a path of no return."

Izaya blinked, but kept the smile on his face.

"What's this? You're changing your tune again? If my memory serves me right, didn't you accuse me back then?"

"Yes, but now I see that was my own pride. It was pride at power I thought I had, and that was why I was frustrated at Heiwajima-san's arrival."

The smile slipped off Mikado's face for a moment, but he soon looked cheerful again.

"But it's alright. I wanted to create a place for Masaomi and Sonohara-san to return to. That's why, as long as Masaomi and Sonohara-san are by my side, I don't need anything else."

"Is that so? What about your ideal of the pure Dollars? Wasn't that due to your own pride? Are you going to throw it all away?"

"What about you, Izaya-san? You have your own pride as well, but you have a relationship more important to you too, right? That's why you should understand how I feel."

The old Mikado would have wavered at Izaya's words, but the new Mikado who had evolved through his involvement in the events of the city stood firmly against him with confidence that could equal his own.

"In other words, you're giving up your wish of an exciting life?"

"Not at all. It's because I'm not bored now."

Mikado said honestly with a smile as he met Izaya's eyes.

"And why are you not bored?"

"Well, isn't my life now pretty exciting?"

"How so?"

Izaya looked like he didn't understand for once. Mikado laughed and explained to him –

"Being able to be with Sonohara-san and Masaomi again, isn't that exciting? Knowing that Masaomi is leader of the Yellow Scarves, and Sonohara-san is owner of the demon sword Saika, with myself being Founder of the Dollars. We're all on opposing sides, but we're able to spend time together peacefully. We can even talk about our secrets now. Isn't that exciting?"

Izaya was silent for a while as if he was thinking over the matter, before he gave a smile different from usual.

"I see. A change in relationship huh? Well, I suppose that could be pretty exciting as well."

Izaya said, but unlike Mikado, he didn't sound excited. He sounded as if he was just discovering there was such a thing himself.

"Right? An exciting life doesn't have to be an extraordinary one, I think. That's why Izaya-san, it's alright to give up your desire for an exciting life. You have a new exciting relationship now right?"

"Don't be mistaken. I haven't given up my desire for an exciting life. In fact, I'm living out my desire for an exciting life everyday to my heart's content. The job of an information broker is still quite exciting, you know? In addition, I have forged many other connections which suit my personal desires."

"Like the one with Shizuo-san?"

Mikado said with the air of an innocent boy –

"Or is it more than one? Shizuo-san doesn't seem like a man to hold back, right?"

\- But his next words brought that impression to a halt.

From the look in the boy's eyes, he was clearly not talking about an innocent topic at all.

Izaya stared for a while, like his brain had not managed to compute that Mikado was asking about his sex life.

"Hello? Izaya-san? …..Oops, did I go too far?"

Mikado spoke as if to himself, and Izaya turned around.

A smile was visible from the corner of his lips as amused chuckles escaped him.

"Ha…hahaha….of all things….steering the conversation at the most unpredictable moment – you really are a splendid trickster."

"What?" He turned to Mikado's surprised look.

"Was that not the reaction you were expecting? Did you perhaps, expect me to feel embarrassed, or something of that sort? A blush, maybe?"

"Of course not."

Mikado smiled innocently back at him.

"I'm not Shizuo-san, after all. And if Izaya-san were to blush, it would be in a much more intense and heated moment that only Shizuo-san could provide."

Mikado spoke in public on the streets with a pure smile on his face, despite the sexual innuendo in his words.

But Izaya was not to be outmatched as his smiling face remained clear of any embarrassment.

"That's right. There's only one man who can embarrass me. In fact, I don't even feel embarrassed by myself, unlike you, Mikado-kun. Ah, but that was indeed an attempt worthy of praise, you have my approval in taking up human observation as a hobby – not that you need it, eh?"

"You're right. Thanks to Izaya-san, I no longer care about what people think of me. But I couldn't take up the same hobby as you. Still, I did want to see your reaction. But then again, Izaya-san is always so cool-headed after all, so I'm not really surprised."

Mikado said almost sheepishly but with a smile as if he had indeed wanted to learn more about the man who had changed his life.

"However, it seems Izaya-san has become more honest."

"What are you talking about? I'm always honest."

As if Izaya had never even spoken, Mikado continued on with a smile on his face.

"If it was in the past, Izaya-san, you wouldn't have admitted there was someone who could embarrass you."

It was just a statement.

It was just one statement said in the same casual tone as the rest of the black haired man's words, unseparated from the smooth rhythm, but the boy had pointed it out as if it was as obvious as a glowing koi fish in a pond that hadn't been there before.

And then his smile widened as he met Izaya's surprised eyes.

"I'm glad."

Before Izaya could comprehend the meaning of that statement, Mikado switched the topic with ease.

"Ah, sorry! Talking to Izaya-san is so interesting I almost forgot what I called you over for!"

"….."

Izaya was silent for once, and Mikado took the chance to speak.

"Thank you very much."

He said the sincere words face to face to the man who could have potentially ruined his life –

"You know, Masaomi told me. About how you got his girlfriend kidnapped and tortured in the war between the Blue Squares and Yellow Scarves, and left him to deal with the situation on his own."

\- And had once ruined his best friend.

Yet with this clearly in mind, the boy was still able to smile and say –

"I forgive you."

"….."

"I forgive you, Izaya-san."

"…."

It was the first time Orihara Izaya had heard those words spoken to him from a human.

He did not have full comprehension of the situation, and it did not make sense to him why the boy could say those words no one had ever said to him –

"… _I already forgave you when I asked you to be my lover."_

 _-_ Except for his lover, but it had been reasonable for they had already formed a deep connection.

But he had no connection with the boy who had told him he forgave him for what he did to his best friend – something the victim himself couldn't forgive him for.

"Are you surprised?"

"…."

The boy was smiling. He did not tell the man the reason why he forgave him –

Yet had the man thought back to the first person who had said he had forgiven him, he would have been able to grasp the truth.

But he did not, for he was still genuinely confused over the boy's words.

That was why he could not find the answer, for there was no logic in them.

Only pure feelings from the human heart.

"But…..if you ever harm Masaomi or Sonohara-san….."

The boy's feelings were still pure.

They were always pure.

The boy didn't say what the consequence harming the people important to him would be.

He merely conveyed those words with a pure smile from his heart.

And the man, whose love for humans had just started to be purified with his first real relationship with the human who surpassed his expectations the most, found himself returning the boy's smile.

"Where are you heading off to, Izaya-san?"

Despite the man not saying a word for quite a long while, the boy still called out to him without hesitation when he had turned as if to walk away.

"Somewhere kids don't need to know."

It was not said in a demeaning manner, just a casual statement with no indication of what the man was feeling at those words.

"Izaya-san!"

"What is it, Mikado-kun?"

The black haired man asked, and the words that followed his question were ones he could not have predicted.

"If you don't have any friends, I don't mind being your friend! In the end, Izaya-san is a good person after all."

Izaya paused.

"I do have friends –"

"Chatroom friends don't count, Kanra-san."

"…You've become rather bold, haven't you? That's quite a jovial look on your face right there, Mikado-kun."

Izaya said as he turned with a bemused smile. He didn't look offended.

"No thanks. I'm not so lonely as to be friends with a kid still in high school. Besides, I already have a lover."

"Oh I'm sure Shizuo-san gives you plenty of company every night. But a friend is different, isn't it? I have Sonohara-san as my lover, but I also have Masaomi as my best friend. There are some things you can't talk about openly with Shizuo-san right? Wouldn't it be nice to have a friend you could do that with?"

"In other words, you want to gather information on my potential weaknesses? How sly of you, Mikado-kun."

"That's not it at all! And even if it were so, I would be sharing information with you in return."

"Information on me is much harder to find out than information on you, Mikado-kun."

Mikado just shook his head with a smile.

"Friendship isn't about gathering information. It's about human interaction built on trust. There is no give and take, we just share our thoughts and feelings with each other. We do things for each other because we care. That's all. It's something you'll have to experience to know what it's like. It's something really reassuring."

He spoke while meeting Izaya's eyes, as if he believed he could convey his feelings thorough the act.

Izaya's eyes remained smiling as always.

"I do have a friend, you know."

"Kishitani-san, right? But is he the sort of friend you could confide in?"

"Sometimes."

Izaya brushed off, not revealing that he had just confided in Shinra recently, for he did not want to make a habit out of it.

"Sorry, but that's not my style."

The information broker smiled smoothly then walked away.

"You have my phone number right? Send me an email when you've made your decision!"

Izaya merely waved a hand in response. But Mikado seemed to be satisfied as when he turned, the boy was gone.

"….Mikado-kun really has become bold, hasn't he?"

The black haired man turned his attention forward, sliding his hands into the pockets of his fur trimmed jacket.

"…..A friend, huh?"

He thought of the incident back in middle school, and his only friend whom he had made back then.

He thought of how his only friend had been calmer than him as he directed him to stop the bleeding –

For the stab wound that was supposed to be his.

 _Shinra is enough. He said he was trying to cheer me up, didn't he?_

 _There's Namie too, though she would disagree._

 _But come to think of it, she did listen to me._

Any other man would have felt embarrassed at the remembrance of such a childish act, but Izaya did not.

As he had told Mikado, he did not feel embarrassed by himself –

Not even when he upset his own expectations of himself – for he readily accepted everything he did as a part of his human being –

Just as he did for the humans he loved.

As he thought about the woman he had confided in, the cause came to mind –

 _And I already have Shizu-chan._

A smile came onto Izaya's face as he thought about his lover, despite his unsatisfied thoughts.

… _I haven't even solved the issue in my relationship yet, no way am I going to form another one, even if it is platonic._

 _It'll only be more troublesome_

It did not take long for his thoughts to turn to those words he had received for the second time.

 _Of course I wanted to be forgiven by Shizu-chan, since I thought it was impossible._

 _But really, nothing is impossible when it comes to Heiwajima Shizuo._

Unlike before, the smile on Izaya's face was one of fondness instead of bitterness.

 _But, Mikado-kun?_

…

Izaya's smile almost slipped off his face.

… _Talk about openly huh…_

The image of a certain energetic brown haired female came to mind –

Bringing to mind his original purpose as he stopped and blinked.

…

"…Where do you get those things from anyway?"

…

…

* * *

 **A week ago**

…

The situation was of Adabashi staring at the boy in a ski mask who looked ready to fight.

It was night, and it was the 'climax' of the stalker incident the boy had been waiting for.

He lacked fighting prowess, but he had gotten the stalker's attention and was determined to face the troublemaker in the Dollars head on.

The boy heard the man laugh.

"Your height…is similar to Hijiribe Ruri's, of course, you don't have breasts."

"?"

Though the boy made no sound, the man continued speaking.

"Okay, you'll be Hijiribe Ruri –"

The man was taller than him, but suddenly the boy had to crane his neck to look up at him.

Adabashi couldn't grab the boy's neck, he was suddenly out of reach.

"…"

The self-confident look was wiped off Adabashi's face.

There was a distant gasp from the other boy watching the scene.

"….Looks like I've found the guy…I think."

The man who had suddenly appeared was wearing sunglasses and a bartender suit. He held an old flip-phone in his hand, looking between it and the guy in his hold.

"…..Yeah, it's him."

The man's voice was calm as he closed his phone and kept it away, still lifting his target up above the ground.

He seemed completely oblivious to the tension in the situation which he had interrupted.

"Oi, you….Adabashi? Stalker?"

"You…got the wrong person…."

Being in the grasp of the man in a bartender suit, even Adabashi knew better than to brag.

"….You sure? You look hell of a lot like him…."

The stalker was turned around to face the monster of Ikebukuro.

Shizuo tilted his head, then uttered –

"Hijiribe Ruri. You know –"

He stopped there, for the man's expression gave him the answer he needed.

Waves of ecstasy washed away all fear from Adabashi's face.

His grin was soon dirtied with blood.

Shizuo had let go of him – only to punch him in the face, sending him crashing into the wall he would have slammed the boy into had the blond not arrived.

There was coughing, and teeth falling to the ground, as disjointed laughter escaped from Adabashi as he knelt on the bloody ground with ecstatic eyes.

"Hi-Hijiribe Ruri….Ru-ri….!"

"M-Monster! My monster….and another monster! Haha-hahaha! Gyahahahahah- g-uhhhh-!"

And then he fell over in a dead faint.

But Shizuo wasn't done.

"OI YOU FUCKING BASTARD…..IT'S NOT TIME FOR YOU TO BE DEAD _YET…."_

The blond was making his way to Adabashi, looking like he wanted to crush the man's head and give him a bloody death with his bare hand –

"W-Wait!"

"HUH?! WHO THE HELL ARE YA?!"

The boy peeled off the ski mask.

"…."

"M-Mikado….?"

The blond boy who had been watching the scene uttered in utter disbelief.

But Mikado's attention was not on him.

"H-Heiwajima-san, I – that is, the stalker is my responsibility! W-Why….did you….!"

Mikado's face looked like all hope had been taken from him at once.

"What….what are you even doing here anyway?! You quitted the Dollars, didn't you?!"

"….What? That bastard was causing trouble in your gang?"

"That's right! He was giving the Dollars a bad name – I was supposed to do something about that! And why did you…..again….! You're not even a Dollars member anymore, you told me you quit, right?!"

Mikado yelled hysterically, but Shizuo responded coolly.

"That's right. So? What does that have to do with anything? The bastard stalker pissed me off, I came to teach him a fucking lesson. Stay out of my way kid, if you don't want to get hurt."

"I'M THE BOSS OF THE DOLLARS!"

Mikado yelled from his wavering heart.

"I'm not just some kid, I'm the Dollars' Boss! The stalker was my responsibility, I had the opportune moment! And yet….!"

Mikado's fists trembled, he was so agitated that he couldn't find the words for what he wanted to convey.

It was like a shock in his heart when Shizuo appeared and _resolved the situation_ with a single punch.

"…Look, the stalker was aiming for my younger brother's lover, and anyone close to her which includes my younger brother, so I was going to beat him up. I got the information from Izaya. I don't know what the hell you're on about, but go to him if you want to rage it out. 'Cause if you do it on me…I won't be able to hold back."

The strongest man in Ikebukuro told him coldly without sympathy, and that was the last straw.

The boy collapsed onto his knees on the ground, staring in despair.

"But….I hardly did anything, again…..! Even though this time….!"

"…..Tch!"

Scoffing at the display before him, Shizuo looked down on Mikado.

"Oi get up Ryuugamine, don't go groveling on your knees on the dirty ground at this time of night. If you're really the Dollars Boss, then don't go showing such an embarrassing sight to a former Dollars member. Otherwise I'd lose all respect for my former Boss."

"…!"

Mikado's eyes widened. He slowly heaved himself up to his heavy feet, as Shizuo spoke.

"…Fine. I already gave that bastard a punch which knocked him out. So as a sign of respect to my former Boss, you're free to do whatever you like with the stalker. It's none of my business anymore. Go take up the issue with Izaya if you're still mad about it, this is probably all his plan."

"But Orihara-san….isn't even nearby! I haven't seen him these past few months!"

Shizuo sniffed the air, but before he could say anything the voice Mikado had not heard for a long time called out.

"Who said I wasn't nearby?"

"O-Orihara-san!?"

The information broker who had been MIA for months was looking down from on top of a building.

He easily made his way down, all the while with his hands in his pockets, and landed next to the man in a bartender suit.

"Long time no see. So? What issue do you have with me…Mikado-kun?"

"….."

"What?"

Shizuo said when Mikado was staring as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"No, it's just….."

He looked at Shizuo and Izaya as if they were supposed to understand. When the two men looked clueless, he stuttered.

"H-Heiwajima-san….? Orihara-san…?"

"What?"

Shizuo and Izaya said at the same time as they stood next to each other. Mikado started, almost looking like his old innocent self.

"….T-Together?"

Shizuo seemed to take it the wrong way. "How did you know? Is Celty telling everyone already?"

"Huh?"

"Ah, this is just a temporary truce –"

"We're going out."

Shizuo stated simply.

Mikado's eyes widened.

Kida's jaw dropped open.

"E-EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

The two teenage boys exclaimed together as they stared at the blond man and black haired man.

"…..Shizu-chan, being with me for so long….yet you still haven't learnt the meaning of tact?"

"What…..are you embarrassed, Ii-zaaaa-yaaaa-kun?"

Shizuo smirked at Izaya, who did indeed looked as if he couldn't keep the slight embarrassment off his face.

He used the knife aimed at him to pull Izaya towards him so he could lay a kiss on his forehead –

Causing Mikado to yell as if in fright, and Shizuo to shift his gaze to him.

"What?"

"W-What, this is too out of the world! This is too strange! Too extraordinary! Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san – Shizuo-san and Izaya-san, going out?! DATING?! I've had all the information at my fingertips, so why did I not know about this?! This – d-dating _incident_?!"

"D-D-D-D-DAT-ING….?! I-I-I-IZAYA?!"

"I-IZAYA-SAN IS DATING BEFORE ME!?"

Mikado seemed to realize in 'horror' at Kida's words.

Then he gasped and frantically fumbled for his phone –

"W-Wait, today isn't April Fool's, is it?"

"Even if it is, do you think those two would come together to pull an April Fool's joke?! And it's July!"

"That's right! It's July! Then there's no way it could be an April Fool's joke….which means it's real?!"

"Heck yeah it's real! I mean Shizuo just kissed Izaya on the forehead! He didn't break the knife, he used it as a chance to k-kiss Izaya on the forehead instead?! It's not a bite but a kiss, a _kiss!_ There's no blood whatsoever, if you don't count that disgusting blush that is."

The tension had dissolved away from the situation and Mikado and Kida were now acting like two normal teenage boys expressing incredulity over two enemies in their high school discovered to be dating.

"I-If Izaya-san really is dating, perhaps it's time I told Sonohara-san my feelings…."

"What are you talking about?! You realized this only now?! Oi oi, you listen to that bastard over there and not your best friend?! That hurts, Mikado!"

It was as if the two boys had not been separated for over 6 months as they were talking as if they saw each other every day, the blond boy making a dramatic gesture as he held his hand to his heart and the black haired boy waving his hands frantically.

"N-No! That's not it, Masaomi! I just thought if Izaya-san could date Shizuo-san, maybe I could date Sonohara-san too! M-Maybe Sonohara-san would agree to go out with me…"

"…..Man, you sure are dense! Anri likes you too you idiot, so go confess already!"

"T-That's right…."

Mikado smiled as his best friend clapped his shoulder in encouragement with the bright grin he had missed.

"…."

Izaya didn't look amused. Shizuo on the other hand, was looking amused at Izaya's lack of amusement.

"Don't pout, flea. ….Although it's cute."

"…."

Izaya sighed.

"…..Shizu-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Kindly don't kiss me in public."

"Why?"

"Because the result will be like this."

Izaya said wryly as he recalled the hysterics the two boys were in which had somehow turned into a harmonious reunion against his expectations.

It seemed that if a punch from the strongest man in Ikebukuro could take back the city's peace, a kiss from him could literally bring about harmony.

On the other hand, Izaya had to move many chess pieces and oversee many situations and water the seeds he had planted in humans' hearts with his words before he could bring about the crisis he wanted to see.

And yet all it took was one punch; or kiss in this matter, from Shizuo to shatter all his strategy.

The only emotion Izaya could feel at that moment was exasperation.

For once, he was seriously questioning his own agenda.

 _Why did I let Heiwajima Shizuo get involved in the Hijiribe Ruri stalker incident again?_

… _Right, because he pulled the lover card._

 _That sly beast._

 _If I were to do a reading, I would get The Lovers card, wouldn't I?_

 _And here I was thinking Mikado-kun was The Fool._

 _Just what the heck were you thinking, me of two months ago?_

 _Getting myself involved in a relationship of all things….._

 _With Heiwajima Shizuo, the man who ruins all my expectations…_

 _I must have been insane._

Izaya thought, and resolved to dodge every attempt of Shizuo to publicly kiss his lover; him, in the future.

His pride had already taken enough blows from the man in a bartender suit.

"….So should I not tell people we're dating too?"

"That should be obvious, shouldn't it?"

"But Celty said I should let people know we're dating."

Izaya inhaled for patience, wondering indeed why he was, dating – Heiwajima Shizuo of all people.

"No, I'm quite sure you misinterpreted her words. That tsundere Dullahan who gets embarrassed at Shinra's lovey-doveyness, telling you to tell everyone you're dating? Impossible. She probably said something like you should let your friends know you're dating, or something of that sort."

"…..Yeah, I think she did say something like that."

Shizuo mused upon it, looking like he was just remembering.

…

Izaya was spared from having to answer as a van pulled up nearby, the door opening to reveal another high school boy who ran to his leader's aid.

"Mikado- senpai –! Are you all right –"

Aoba stopped short as he stared at the scene before him.

Mikado was smiling and laughing with Kida, having not sustained any injuries at all.

In front of them the two most dangerous men of Ikebukuro stood, next to each other, without destroying the other.

Aoba was at a true loss for words.

"Ah, Aoba-kun. I'm fine."

Aoba blinked when Mikado replied him with a smiling face.

"…What the hell is going on here?"

He indirectly directed this question to the man behind him, who replied –

"Just in time, Aoba-kun! I must say, you have perfect timing, the situation you graciously interrupted was becoming a bit too disgusting for my taste."

"…Orihara Izaya."

Aoba said with no small amount of loathing. Turning, he regarded Izaya with a deceptively innocent smile.

"What a displeasure to see you again. It felt like it was my lucky day when I heard the news that you were hospitalized after a stabbing incident. The city has been so wonderful without your presence. Yet here you are, showing up at such a prime moment – figures. This is a Dollars matter, so could you kindly leave? Also, what did you do to Mikado-senpai? And, is that Heiwajima Shizuo or an imposter? Why hasn't he killed you yet? Did you blackmail him or something?"

Izaya, who looked happy again, answered energetically.

"How full of questions you are, Aoba-kun! I'm a Dollars member as well, so I do have the right to be here, don't I? And I didn't do anything to Mikado-kun, it's Shizu-chan here who did everything. And yes it is Heiwajima Shizuo, but to answer that question would be quite tedious. Right, Shizu-chan?"

"Huh? But –"

"Hm? What is it, Shizu-chan?"

"….Nothing." Shizuo conceded, feeling as if he had to listen to the look in Izaya's eyes.

A look of satisfaction appeared on Izaya's face –

"They're dating!"

Which soon drained away as one of his humans was going against his expectations again.

That human turned out to be Kida Masaomi, the boy whose life he had ruined and whom was now smirking at him tauntingly as if he was enjoying seeing his reaction like he had done to him in the past.

"Izaya's dating Shizuo! It's not blackmail, it's love!"

He said as if he wanted to announce it to the whole of Ikebukuro, and put Izaya on centre stage in front of all his humans' reactions.

"….."

Izaya twitched.

He was sincerely berating his actions yesterday at the current moment.

Apparently reuniting with his best friend had put Kida in an extremely good mood – enough to dare to attempt to embarrass the man who had ruined his life.

Aoba blinked, like he couldn't understand what was being said.

Then a slow grin spread across his face.

"…..Pft! Dating – Dating?!"

His hand came up to cover his mouth as he stared in mocking amusement at Izaya.

"What's that? Orihara Izaya – Orihara Izaya, _dating?!_ Heiwajima Shizuo? Orihara Izaya dating Heiwajima Shizuo?! Hahahah! Hahahahaha! Gahahahahaha!"

Aoba was hunched over, mirth on his face as he made no effort to keep his laughter at a minimum.

"W-Why – today isn't April Fool's is it! Did you lose track of time while you were in the hospital or something! Ahahaha! What a joke! Ahahaha – my stomach hurts! This is funny! Too funny!"

Aoba practically roared with laughter as he pounded his fist against his thigh, giggling uncontrollably, completely unaware he had ruined Izaya's expectations.

"….I didn't say it."

Shizuo said when Izaya gave him a glare.

Izaya was seriously refraining himself from grabbing Shizuo by the collar and shaking him vigorously in front of the kids who were way too amused for his liking.

"Anyway they're just kids. What does it matter if kids who aren't involved in your business know you're dating? Also, isn't this situation more peaceful?"

Shizuo said and smiled with the peace he had brought about.

Izaya just wanted to go home to his apartment in Ikebukuro.

Without Heiwajima Shizuo.

And perhaps complain to Namie about how Shizuo had ruined his expectations again.

But there was a greater desire on hand, and so he chose to take charge of the situation instead.

…

"I think you're all misunderstanding something here."

Izaya said as he moved forward away from Shizuo, spreading his arms as he did so.

"I'm not dating for the sole sake of dating. Why are you laughing? Shouldn't you know by this point, that I always have an ulterior motive?"

"Then why are you _dating?_ "

Aoba looked torn between amusement and loathing.

Chuckling to himself, Izaya extended a gracious hand towards the Monster of Ikebukuro.

"A pawn I can move according to my own wishes – isn't that perfect?"

"…."

Shizuo's expression was unreadable. But Izaya took no notice as he addressed Mikado.

"Shouldn't you know, Mikado-kun?"

He took delight in Mikado's expression falling, knowing he was remembering Shizuo's intrusion of moments ago.

"That's why I got Shizu-chan – Heiwajima Shizuo involved in the stalker incident. Ahh, it was great, really great – that expression on your face! Of course, I don't hold any love for you personally, but I love this opportunity you presented, Mikado-kun! You see, I've been so bored recuperating from my injury – and what better cure for my boredom than the amusing human you are?"

Izaya said in unrestrained glee with a grin upon his face.

"Likewise, what better pawn exists than the strongest man of Ikebukuro, Heiwajima Shizuo? Especially as you've witnessed his power first hand. He was the perfect man for the perfect situation! And so when Shizu-chan asked me about the stalker's whereabouts, how could I deny? Right, Shizu-chan?"

Izaya said, and smoothly dodged Shizuo's punches.

"…Bastard, telling me what he looks like then not responding to my messages or calls….YOU'RE TRYING TO PISS ME OFF, AREN'T YOU?!"

"Well, I wanted to see how Shizu-chan would react! After all, what's the point if I give information so easily? Shizu-chan should use his brain if he really wants to find the stalker to save Kasuka-kun, don't you think? And he did in the end, so….."

"WHAT IF I FAILED, HUH?! IT'S KASUKA'S LIFE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEREEEEEEE!"

"I didn't think my lover was that incapable? When it's the life of the brother he loves so much at stake."

Izaya spoke as he was evading Shizuo's attacks like they were still enemies, which was the first scene of them that made sense seen by Mikado, Kida and Aoba that night –

In ironic contrast to the words that didn't make sense.

"….Unlike a certain someone."

Izaya said as his gaze shifted from the blond man in a bartender suit who was behind him to the blond boy.

"L-Lover….?"

Kida looked like he was torn between reacting to the taunt and to the unbelievable information.

He flinched when the word brought to mind his own lover –

And how he had failed her because of the man who was now taunting him.

"…Lover?"

Aoba said with a 'I have no idea what the heck this bastard is up to now' look.

"Just what game are you playing now, Orihara Izaya? You dating is already like a joke, but having a lover? Getting Heiwajima Shizuo to go along with your farce, I'm almost impressed. Really, you blackmailed him didn't you?"

"…I asked Izaya to be my lover."

Shizuo spoke to Aoba for the first time.

He didn't say anything else, but he roamed his gaze across Mikado and Kida silently.

Aoba looked like he was wrestling with his own words. He settled on a wary glance at the unusually calm man in a bartender suit.

"It's the truth."

Shizuo said, barely sparing Aoba a glance. His attention was on Izaya.

"…Seems like there's an issue here I don't know about, so I'll leave you to it."

"Are you leaving?"

Izaya asked Shizuo, who was already lighting up a cigarette as he walked away.

"No," Shizuo said as he flicked a glance back.

"I'm staying."

Izaya said nothing, but a smile with hidden meaning was on his face as Shizuo settled himself against the wall and watched the situation from afar with his sharp eyes from behind his sunglasses, contrasting the smoke drifting lazily from his cigarette.

It felt like he was being dissected, but it was a feeling Izaya welcomed as he turned his attention away from his lover.

"Now, where was I? Ah yes, I was right there, examining the expression on your face!"

Izaya spoke jubilantly as if he had never left the conversation in the first place, every ounce of his attention on the human before him.

"So? How was it? This unpredictable, exciting situation? The man who destroyed your pride – Heiwajima Shizuo – interfering in the most unexpected moment! Don't you think you were presented with the opportune situation? In essence, it was mainly because of Heiwajima Shizuo telling you he was leaving the Dollars and making you realize your ideal is far from reality that you sought to make it reality, wasn't it?"

"I…."

"Really, it was such a generous act on my part. After all, haven't you always felt some regret deep in your heart? That you were picking things up a bit too late – that you should have done this earlier? That's why you're going to such extremes to purify the Dollars, right? It's a mask of pride to cover up your shame."

"That's….."

"I hit the bullseye, didn't I? Honestly, you haven't changed at all. That's why I'm disappointed, Mikado-kun. I thought with the person you've become – you would use the prime opportunity to rebel against your own shame – against the man who made you feel so powerless and weak. Yet all you've done is proven that you haven't conquered your shame – the situation was a double-edged sword and you picked the wrong side….Ryuugamine Mikado."

Izaya said, and waited gleefully for Mikado's reaction but it was Aoba who spoke next.

"Heh, that's a surprise. I would have thought you wouldn't have interfered in Mikado-senpai's plans. Aren't you the type to want to cause chaos for your own amusement?"

"That's untrue, Aoba-kun. Chaos is merely a byproduct – at the end of the day what I want the most is to see humans other than myself. Observe how they'll react in the most unpredictable crises. Such as the one I've graciously provided to Mikado-kun here."

"Oh really? Then why are you disappointed – if you only want to see?"

Aoba said, the way he was speaking was like he wanted to pick Izaya apart and stab at every piece of the incomprehensible man.

"It's like starting a fire. With a match, that is. You see, there are two types –strike-anywhere matches and safety matches right? What I usually use for humans in general is the former – any situation can be turned into an opportunity for human observation and I'll use and discard as many matches as I need to form a bright fire and see it burn. But there are certain humans in a certain state in a certain point of their lives that require more deliberation."

Izaya was speaking to the boy like it was something he should understand.

"So for these humans, I use safety matches instead. Safety matches can only burn when they're struck upon a specially prepared surface which is what I did with Mikado-kun here. Since this is such a pivotal point in Ryuugamine Mikado's life, it's like a safety match struck upon a specially prepared surface – only that it should burn but it did not. That's the kind of disappointment I feel."

Not even waiting for the boys before him to digest what he was saying, Izaya continued on.

"For Mikado-kun, it's like he's in an eternal state of inertia. There's only two modes for him. At unyielding rest or in constant motion with an undisrupted momentum. He resists any change to his current state of motion, whether it be the former or the latter."

Bringing his other hand out of his pocket, Izaya explained, "But it looks like his resistance wasn't enough to the force that met him at his turning point, in other words – he's back to his first mode – at rest. You see, the weakness and strength of inertia is that it's resistant to any change to the subject's current state of motion – including its own. In simple terms, since Mikado-kun is at rest again, it'll take a considerable amount of effort for him to enter his state of before."

"….So, all that has to be done is apply a force great enough to overcome inertia and move Mikado-senpai."

Aoba spoke smugly as if he was already planning on how to do so, and Izaya smiled at him.

"You're welcome to try, Aoba-kun. I look forward to you amassing Mikado-kun's potential. The question is, what would be the ideal amount of net force to conjure in this situation to attain a uniform state of motion – and can that ideal become a reality?"

"Of course. I'm the best at exerting the necessary forces for change after all."

"Even though you weren't the one who pushed Mikado-kun into his second mode?"

"Are you taunting me, Orihara Izaya?"

"Not at all. I would never do such a thing with my Raira kouhai cut from the same cloth as me."

"…..It disgusts me to even think we have anything in common."

Izaya was about to reply but another male beat him to it.

"So what you guys are saying…that you want a strong enough force to push Ryuugamine until he can't stop again."

Shizuo said. He paused in the silence.

Unaware of the change in Heiwajima Shizuo, Aoba prepared to dodge.

Indeed, the Shizuo in the past would have said something like, "PEOPLE ARE NOT OBJECTS, BASTAAAAARD' and sent Izaya and Aoba flying.

But the Shizuo in the present who sought truth merely scoffed.

"…..That's screwed up."

Aoba waited for a few more seconds, and when Shizuo did nothing except frown, he felt it safe to speak.

"Well Heiwajima-san, that's Orihara Izaya for you. Your lover. If he was a beautiful woman I would understand, men are charmed by beauty – but fortunately for the men in this world, he isn't, so what draws you to him exactly? He has such a terrible personality. Are you unable to get women so you turn to a man? If that were so, I'm sure there are many more choices than this guy here."

Shizuo narrowed his eyes and Aoba wondered if he had gone too far, but the blond's voice was as calm as before.

"I'm unable to get women but that has nothing to do with it."

"Eh, is that so? While I'm not the best guy to help you with your love life, don't you think you should reconsider? After all it's Orihara Izaya, the guy you hate the most. He's already made your life hell, why are you giving him the opportunity to ruin it even more? Society wouldn't look too kindly on you having another man as a lover, you know? Heiwajima Shizuo."

Shizuo removed the cigarette from his lips, letting it fall to the ground.

"First, I'm older than you so use polite speech towards me. Second, what I do with my life is none of your business, and third…."

Shizuo's shoe snuffed out the smoke from the cigarette.

"…WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, INTERFERING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S LOVE LIVES AAAAAAAAHHHH?!"

Aoba was fortunate – had it been Shizuo in the past he would have been injured worse than the stalker. As it was, he was lifted up by the collar with the man in a bartender suit in uncomfortable close proximity.

But it did not stop the innocent smile from appearing on the boy's face.

"That's a misunderstanding, Heiwajima-san. I would never be so bold as to interfere in your love life. I'm merely providing my humble opinion to the future of your forbidden relationship –"

"JUDGING? IS THAT IT? YOU'RE JUDGING MY RELATIONSHIP….?"

Shizuo's voice was dangerously low.

Apprehension began to creep up on him, but he kept his smile in the face of danger.

"P-Please stop!" The voice came from the boy his senior. "Heiwajima-san, Aoba-kun didn't mean it! He was just…."

A hand laid on Shizuo's arm. "Shizu-chan."

And suddenly, Aoba was back on the ground. He almost stumbled and fell, but righted himself.

He looked up just in time to see Izaya draw his hand back from Shizuo's arm, and a sudden loathing filled him.

Aoba didn't know if he should resent being 'rescued' by Izaya, or indulge in a dry humor at being defended by Mikado.

Whatever it was, it didn't stop Aoba from taking steps back until he was out of Shizuo's reach.

Even he knew he had narrowly escaped a life-endangering situation.

"Your logic doesn't make sense. If I were to turn to other 'choices', the result would still be the same. Izaya might have screwed my life up, but that's got nothing to do with how society will look upon me if I have him as my lover, just because he's not a woman."

Shizuo was back to that calm tone of voice as if he hadn't lost his temper in the first place, but his gaze was as hard as the metal of the signposts he could maneuver with one hand alone.

"You're the same type of person as the flea. I've dealt with him for a long time…so don't pull that kind of shit on me."

Aoba was unable to resist a smirk, even as his eyes narrowed in loathing.

"Heh…if we're the same type of person, does that mean you could fall for me too? Heiwajima-san."

"Aoba-kun!"

There was a hand on his shoulder as if it could protect him from Shizuo's wrath.

But the man in a bartender suit just scoffed.

"Too young kid, even if I swung that way."

"Eh is that a yes, Heiwajima-san? I'm so happy!"

'What the hell is wrong with this kid' – Shizuo conveyed such a look to Izaya, who shrugged helplessly with a look of bemusement like he didn't even know how the situation had come about.

"No." Aoba blinked. "Same type of person," there was a finger on his forehead.

"Doesn't mean same person."

Shizuo pushed like he was pushing a button and Aoba fell back against Mikado, who yelped as he caught his kouhai.

"Ow ow….haha, Heiwajima-san, could it be you were going easy against me because –"

Despite feeling like he had sustained an injury already, Aoba had the gall to continue testing Shizuo's patience –

"Argh shut up you talk too much!"

There was a cry of surprise.

Aoba was seeing stars.

Kida, who had been watching the proceedings with a dazed sort of comprehension, found himself wincing in sympathy for Kuronuma Aoba of all people – and couldn't even regret it as he had been subjected to the same attack.

His forehead was throbbing at the painful memory.

"Aoba-kun! Are you alright?!"

Aoba couldn't even reply his senpai. It felt like the contents of his brain hadn't settled back into place yet.

 _What just…..happened?_

 _I saw Heiwajima Shizuo's hand, then –_

… _..I've been dealt too much damage._

"What…..I'm sure I used less force than before…..is it because they're kids? Maybe their skulls aren't as thick….."

Shizuo looked as if he was figuring out the truth of the universe. Izaya gave his lover an amused look.

"While not everyone's skull is as thick as yours, I'm sure if you flicked an adult it would have the same effect."

"Aaaah? Then, shall I test it on you…Izayaaaaa-kuuuun…..?"

"Shizu-chan, I know you haven't had a lover before me but a flick which could make me end up in that sorry state isn't exactly an affectionate gesture. But, since I'm such a generous lover, flick me or kiss me, I'll welcome it gladly. "

Izaya said in his usual extravagant way, but eagerness was in his gaze as he looked up at Shizuo.

Shizuo looked caught off guard.

"Uh….."

"Well, get on with it Shizu-chan."

Izaya said as if he was anticipating the choice Shizuo would make.

Shizuo looked like he suddenly didn't want to flick anyone anytime soon.

He also looked like the only thing stopping him from kissing Izaya was the presence of the three kids.

In short, he looked like he was in a dilemma in front of his lover who was ready to welcome any action from him.

"What Orihara Izaya…..is this the masochist's pleasure you were searching for?"

Aoba had gotten to his feet during the moment with Shizuo and Izaya which he mockingly interrupted.

Izaya, who looked like he had been about to place a kiss on Shizuo's cheek to solve his dilemma, turned to Aoba without looking offended.

However, only Izaya would know what he was about to say as the boy who had been the focus of the whole debacle spoke.

…

"That's unfair…."

Mikado seemed to hold a lackluster expression as he stared at Izaya.

"….That's unfair, Izaya-san! You were the one who said if I wanted to live an exciting life, I had to evolve from my everyday boring life!"

His tired eyes gained a glimmer of disbelief as if he couldn't believe what was happening in front of him.

"But you….why? Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to return things to such a boring state of affairs?! I – I was so close!"

"If I really was trying to do that, I would have used another guy, wouldn't you say? Rokujou Chikage, the leader of Toramaru who pushed you over the edge."

Mikado flinched. He clenched his fists tightly. Gone was the boy who had implored Shizuo to not hurt his kouhai. A darkness rose in his heart.

"….Then, what's with this situation?"

Izaya read the look in the boy's eyes.

"My relationship with Heiwajima Shizuo has nothing to do with my plans for my humans."

"Oh really? It doesn't seem that way to me. The Izaya-san – Orihara-san in the past would have never entertained the possibility of a romantic relationship. In fact, even if he had one, he would have never admitted it so openly. You've sure changed, Izaya-san."

"O-Oi, Mikado…."

Kida placed a hand on Mikado's back but he received no response. He glanced warily at Izaya.

Narrowing his eyes, Shizuo looked like he wanted to say something. Izaya held up his hand as if to halt him and spoke to Mikado coolly.

"Being interested in monsters doesn't mean we base our lives around them."

"Don't you love all humans equally anymore? And you say that has nothing to do with it?"

"How very unlike you, Mikado-kun, attacking someone in order to defend yourself. I'm surprised, I had never thought you were that type of person. But rest assured, I still love you as a human."

"Don't avoid the subject!" Mikado shouted so loudly that Kida flinched.

"Mikado…."

But Mikado was deaf to everyone's words besides his own.

"It's true, isn't it?! Now that you have Heiwajima Shizuo as your lover you no longer love all humans equally anymore! You're just hiding behind the façade of him being a monster because you don't want to admit it, that you've defied your own goal in life! And so you use your relationship in one of your plans, claiming that has nothing to do with it –! In the end, you're just a coward –"

Izaya slapped Mikado.

Eyes widening, Mikado stumbled back, clutching his cheek in shock and hurt.

"Mikado!"

"Mikado-senpai!"

Aoba and Kida had rushed to the shaken boy's side, and Kida had whirled to face Izaya in anger.

"OI! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR -?!"

Then he felt the burning presence beside Izaya and understood.

All his anger drained away in the face of a much greater rage.

Swallowing in trepidation, Kida returned his attention to Mikado.

"…..Tch!"

Aoba, who had noticed how Mikado would have been fatally injured by Shizuo's hand had Izaya not made his move first, scoffed as he glared to the side.

"Mikado! Are you alright?!"

Kida was speaking worriedly with his hands on his best friend's shoulders.

Some of the vibes of rage had fallen away to be replaced by surprise at Izaya's unexpected physical action, but Shizuo seemed to still be trying to keep his anger to a minimum.

"Are you done?"

Izaya's voice was cold.

Flinching at the freezing expression on Izaya's face and the burning one on Shizuo's, Mikado lowered his head, his hand to his stinging cheek.

"…..Yes. I'm sorry –"

"Don't apologize for something you're not sorry for."

Mikado bit his lip. He had never heard such a cold voice directed at him by Izaya before.

Even if he had dared to go against Izaya in such a frightening state, the anger in the atmosphere he could feel from Shizuo kept his feet rooted to the ground.

 _I…._

 _I can't win._

 _I'm still as powerless as before…_

Mikado thought, as Izaya looked at him with an unsmiling face.

"Well now that you've woken up – what was it that you were _really trying to say?"_

…

…

* * *

It was at that moment that Mikado was taken back to the past.

\- When he stood and watched as Heiwajima Shizuo resolved the situation with power he didn't have.

\- When he stood and watched as Rokujou Chikage, the leader of another gang, told him to let go of the Dollars because his own organization was too huge a burden for a naïve kid like him.

\- When he stood and realized the reality of the situation, which hit him harder than the gangsters had, before he was saved by Anri, the girl he liked who held more power than him.

\- When he fell and cried at his own powerlessness and helplessness, unaware his best friend was standing and watching him with guilt and similar feelings to his own.

It was taking all the willpower he had left to hold his tears back.

 _Ah, I see._

 _Even though I thought I had caught up…._

 _Even though I made it so that other people had to catch up…_

 _I was still left behind by this city._

 _I was unaware that such a huge change had happened with two of the city's most dangerous men._

 _Even though I thought I had all the information at my fingertips_

 _It's just like that time._

 _I didn't know what had happened which had led Heiwajima Shizuo to intervene._

 _It was so unpredictable it was like some kind of cruel joke, and so I lashed out at Izaya-san_

 _But to Izaya-san, and Shizuo-san, my feelings were the incomprehensible misgivings of a misguided child_

 _I haven't grown at all._

 _In the end…._

 _It's me who's the coward._

…

* * *

"Mikado….?

The voice of the best friend he had just reunited with sounded, bringing him out of his internal monologue.

"How…."

But he was not in the best state of mind, and the emotions that had resurfaced at the memories confounded him even more.

Forcing his tears back, Mikado yelled -

"How can I justify my actions like this….!"

"Just now….what did you just say?"

"Eh?"

"'How can I justify my actions'….you, you weren't using me as an excuse, were you?"

"…..!"

"I'm disappointed, Mikado-kun. And here I thought you were doing it out of your own desire…..to return the Dollars back to your own pure ideal."

"….Or are you still doing so – but you refuse to acknowledge it's all a result of your own actions, that I was merely a catalyst? And so you're putting the blame on me?"

"I-I'm the one at fault….?"

Izaya's words had echoed the words in his wavering heart.

"Aren't you?"

Izaya was smiling again, but it was not a kind smile.

"I…"

…

…

* * *

Throughout all this, Masaomi had stood and watched.

Just like he had two months ago.

The analogies and the discussion between the three males had flown over his head, he could not understand their meaning.

He had been shocked when Mikado had started shouting, and had snapped back to action when Izaya had slapped Mikado, but his anger was quelled immediately by Shizuo's which was a much higher degree than his own.

Deep in his heart, he knew that Mikado was in the wrong, that the boy he knew would have never accused anyone in the way he had –

But it wasn't what Masaomi cared about.

All he knew – and cared about was that Izaya was using logic to beat down Mikado – a boy who relied primarily on his pure feelings.

…

 _What can I do?_

 _This is the guy who made my life hell_

 _Why…is Shizuo-san on his side?_

 _Are they really….._

…

Just like in the past, Izaya had been doing something in the background, and this time it involved Heiwajima Shizuo whom he had admired for being able to direct his animosity at Orihara Izaya without hesitation.

And the result was the current situation, where Masaomi was feeling once again like he had failed to save someone precious to him.

 _Mikado…._

 _If….If only I had gone to you that day…._

Masaomi clenched his teeth, his anger at Izaya and even Shizuo rising towards himself.

… _.I can curse Izaya in my head all I want, but the truth is I can't go against him_

 _After all, it was me who failed to save Saki – no matter how much of a coward I am, I have to at least acknowledge my own cowardice…._

 _And now that he has Shizuo-san on his side…._

 _We were able to somewhat get along just now after I apologized, but now…_

Gulping audibly from the strongest man's burning gaze which made his palms sweat, Masaomi shook his head.

… _No, that's not it!_

 _All that doesn't matter right now!_

 _Mikado – I won't let him do the same to Mikado!_

Looking at the state of his best friend who looked like all hope had been drained from him, Masaomi found his resolve.

 _I don't care who's right and who's wrong –_

 _I won't let Mikado become like me!_

…

…

* * *

"No! It's not your fault, Mikado! Don't listen to him! Izaya – Izaya's just screwing with your head! It's what he wants, to make you believe things you normally wouldn't about yourself!"

"But it is, Masaomi. I….."

Mikado took out something, unknown to Masaomi, which he had planned to use on the stalker.

"Eh…..?"

Masaomi felt like all the breath had left him, he couldn't understand the sight in front of him.

Liquid was poured all over Mikado's hand.

"…STOP!"

Just before the flame touched skin, Masaomi shoved away the Zippo lighter, it fell to the ground and the blond boy grabbed his best friend's hands in a crushing grip.

"YOU IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHY DID YOU TRY TO BURN – W-WHY DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT ANYWAY?!"

"I was going to use it on the stalker…."

"You….were going to burn a guy alive?"

Mikado just continued smiling at Masaomi's disbelieving eyes. Masaomi's heart shook and he clenched his teeth, jerking Mikado by the wrists.

"WAKE UP! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, MIKADO?! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO YOURSELF?! JUST WAKE THE HELL UP ALREADY, RYUUGAMINE MIKADO! YOU JUST TRIED TO BURN YOURSELF ALIVE!"

 _My fault?_

 _Is this my fault?!_

 _Because I left?_

 _Because I didn't go to you that day?!_

Masaomi thought as he shook Mikado vigorously, almost violently as if it could revert him back to his 'normal' state.

"If it's for my selfish desire….what will I do if I hurt you, or Sonohara-san?"

Masaomi's eyes widened. But before he could reply, another voice cut in.

"Oi, Ryuugamine."

"…"

"You're not the only force."

Shizuo had spoken, the atmosphere around him calm again even as his eyes were narrowed behind his sunglasses.

"If you can't deal with the forces pushing you on your own, then get a shield to resist change. And if you want to change, do it on your own, or get someone you trust and make them a force. There's lots of methods. You don't have to let anyone push you until you fall off the edge."

"With all due respect, Heiwajima-san…..if you hadn't interfered, I would have been fine."

Mikado seemed to be still holding some negative vibes towards Shizuo, and Masaomi could only tighten his grip on his shoulders protectively.

"…Even though you almost burned a guy alive?"

"Are you saying that, Heiwajima-san? When you send people flying all the time? What difference is there between your actions and mine?"

 _Oi oi, do you have a death wish, Mikado?!_

 _Trying to burn yourself alive and now trying to piss Shizuo off?!_

 _Just what the hell are you thinking?!_

… _Seriously, don't become a suicide applicant like me!_

Masaomi thought, but his voice was stuck in his throat as Mikado met Shizuo's gaze head on.

"….True, I won't deny that. In fact, I'd have probably killed the stalker if you hadn't intervened."

To Masaomi's relief, Shizuo merely pushed his sunglasses up and spoke with his words, not actions.

"So I might not be the best guy to say it but I'll say it anyway. You were under pressure. And – …Izaya what's the formula for pressure?"

"Force over area of the surface on contact."

Izaya, who had been quiet the whole time, was watching the proceedings with a smile that made Masaomi want to hit it off his face.

"…..Yeah, that's it. Area. Size. Ryuugamine you weren't a very big guy. You're big now, as the Boss of the Dollars, but you weren't very big then. With a large force exerted on a small area – the pressure was great. So it wasn't your fault you couldn't resist it – and Izaya is trying to make you think it is."

Masaomi looked at Izaya, but Izaya's expression didn't change.

"You're a big guy now who can control your organization. Yet you look like pressure's still bogging you down. And as long as you let it get to you, you'll always be small and be subjected to the forces of people like Izaya and that kid who's like him."

At the side, Aoba smiled thinly, but made no move to go against Shizuo.

The hostility from Mikado seemed to fade as he looked up at Shizuo with surprised eyes.

"That's…."

"Logic. If you want to beat a guy like Izaya who can manipulate your feelings, you've got to rely on hard logic. Fighting against Izaya's logic with your feelings is like fighting water with fire. You'll lose no matter how hard you try."

With a scoff, Shizuo looked to the side.

"…Usually it would be none of my business but if I'm the force that pushed you to such an extent…."

"….Shizuo-san…"

Mikado's emotions were written all over his face.

…

…

* * *

 _Are…._

 _Are my feelings…._

 _Were they not seen as childish nonsense?_

 _Is this my own pride….or is Shizuo-san feeling guilty about the impact his actions had on me?_

 _Because this is….._

 _I'm not being ignored_

 _Shizuo-san is going out of his way to provide me with some advice_

 _And Izaya-san did something he would usually never do, to bring me back to my senses_

 _Was Izaya-san….protecting me from Shizuo-san?_

 _I went against Izaya-san and Shizuo-san, but they're showing concern over me._

 _And Masaomi…._

With the shift in Mikado's feelings, his reflection on the past events seemed to have changed as well.

The darkness retreated from the boy's heart, leaving the light he saw.

…

* * *

"If you want to take out your anger on someone, take it out on me. I won't fight back."

Shizuo was speaking again, convincing Mikado further of his feelings towards the situation.

"…But if you take it out on _Izaya….."_

Izaya looked extremely pleased. But Masaomi wasn't even thinking of wiping that smile off his face anymore, not with the boiling atmosphere around Shizuo. His hands were shivering on Mikado's shoulders.

It felt like if he so much as thought of bringing any harm to Izaya, he would incur Shizuo's wrath.

Lest Shizuo snapped at some unfavorable memory several minutes back, Masaomi finally let his voice out.

"Heiwajima-san is right."

Turning Mikado to face him, Masaomi spoke to the wavering boy.

"I'll be your shield. I'll be your shield, Mikado! It's fine if you can't deal with the pressure, you'll always have me! I – the truth is, I might not be the best guy to help you, but two heads are always better than one right?!"

Mikado was smiling again, but instead of darkness, there was a hesitant light in his eyes.

"But what if…I want to be in a state of motion? Masaomi is thinking it's better if I'm at rest like before, but what if I don't feel that way?"

Masaomi didn't need to understand the analogy Izaya had used for Mikado to understand him.

"…..Then I'll support you."

"…."

"If that's what you truly want, if it's what makes you happy, I'll support you even if I don't like it. But – just – tell me! Stop keeping things to yourself and tell me what you want so I can know!"

"Masaomi…."

"If you want to do such dangerous things, as your best friend I can't stop you. But as your best friend, I'll watch over you, so that you don't cross the line and fall over the edge."

Removing his hands from Mikado's shoulders, Masaomi let them fall to his sides, clenching his fists.

"….Because I know. I've gone through that before – I was controlled by my feelings and I didn't even notice I had reached the edge until it was too late. That's why, I don't want the same thing to happen to you!"

Looking directly into Mikado's eyes, Masaomi brought his insecurities into the air.

"Maybe I don't know you as well as I think, maybe you're not as good a guy as I thought – but all that doesn't matter to me! You're still my best friend, Mikado! And I just….don't want my best friend to commit the same mistake as _I_ did!"

Masaomi yelled his true feelings he had kept in his heart out, forcing himself to face his past for his best friend's future.

"Masaomi…"

Mikado murmured, seeming as if he was finally seeing him, and Masaomi grasped the chance –

"That's why – can't we just go home? Together, to Anri-chan. If the three of us can be together again, I'm sure everything will be okay!"

"That's right….we promised to reveal our secrets when the three of us are together again…."

Biting his lip, Mikado smiled wryly as he directed his gaze to the side. Masaomi waited with a pounding heart as Mikado returned his gaze to him once again –

"Alright. Let's go home, Masaomi."

Masaomi gasped as if he had hoped but hadn't expected Mikado to agree, and Mikado told him –

"But, if I decide not to return to normal life even after we reunite….please don't try to stop me."

"Anything! I'm fine with anything you decide, Mikado!"

Masaomi shot his hands out in glee, facing Mikado with radiant eyes.

"Anything you want! Ah….seriously, I'm so glad! I'm so happy, Mikado! Come here, you stubborn bastard!"

"Hey…! Masaomi!"

Mikado spluttered in embarrassment like the innocent boy he had been as Masaomi engulfed him in a happy hug, right in front of Aoba, Izaya and Shizuo.

…

"What a touching friendship."

Unfortunately, the touching reunion was interrupted by the man in a fur trimmed jacket.

"You just had to say something, didn't you?"

Masaomi sent Izaya an annoyed glare, but Izaya only shrugged.

"Hey, I'm being genuine in my words. I don't have such a thing myself, so I'm quite envious."

"Is that why you tried to break us up? Because you were jealous?"

"No way. I think you misunderstand me, Masaomi-kun. Like I told Aoba-kun, what I desire to see is not necessarily chaos – I merely wish to observe humans other than myself. How they react in unpredictable crisis situations. The situation before me right now of touching friendship is the result of the intersection of the feelings of you and Mikado-kun to the crisis situation, my involvement included; therefore, I accept it as fully as I do any human's."

"And if it had a different result?"

"It wouldn't have made a difference. Maybe Mikado-kun could have tried to burn Shizu-chan alive. Maybe he could have attacked you so you couldn't stop him. Maybe he could have just walked away calmly and plotted to take Heiwajima Shizuo down, since he's no longer in the Dollars. There were a lot of choices he could make – but whatever he chose, I just wanted to see."

Izaya said as he moved forward, his hands in his pockets as he spoke as if it was a trivial matter for him.

"Similarly, perhaps in the past your feet could have moved and you could have saved the girl important to you. Perhaps you could have been hospitalized with her. Perhaps you could have called the police. Didn't you think of that? Why didn't you? Why couldn't you think of other options? It was because your thoughts and feelings were centered on the unpredictable crisis situation, wasn't it? And because you couldn't save her, your choice has resulted in the moment right now – you looking after your best friend so he wouldn't make the same mistake you did. Everything was decided by you."

And then he held out his hand, still speaking in that same casual tone.

"You can't understand humans' hearts until you open them up and look. You said it just now, didn't you? You told Mikado-kun to tell you what he wanted – which means you weren't aware of his thoughts and feelings beforehand. And that was what I wanted to see – his reaction from his thoughts and feelings. His frequency of consciousness at a certain point in time."

With that same look in his eyes, Izaya moved, gesturing like he was directing a show.

"The fact is – it's impossible to know what a person is thinking until the time actually comes. No person can fully manipulate another. I'm not some omnipotent god – I'm merely an information broker who gives humans a little push as they stand on the perilously thin line between one side or another, so that they can take the first step even as their hearts waver. Of course, it goes without saying I would push the chess piece in the direction that works to my advantage. And sometimes they're not standing on a thin line so I need to use a force great enough to overcome inertia so I can see some movement. Other than that – it's kind of like charity, don't you think?"

He stopped, turning to look at Mikado, whom Masaomi had his arms protectively around, as he met the boy's eyes.

"Of course if Mikado-kun decides to use enough force to push himself back into a uniform state of motion, I will be there to watch."

"But that's what you want, isn't it?"

Masaomi accused Izaya, but Izaya was unperturbed.

"Indeed, I do have my preferences. That's exactly why I try my best to not impose - it would pollute my humans' pure reactions from my computation of logical possibilities without feelings involved. Sometimes my feelings are so passionate and I go overboard, and the outcome is something I have to reflect upon – but that's another matter."

" _Personal_ matter?"

The blond boy smirked tauntingly at the black haired man as he took a personal stab –

"Personal matter. I'm human too, aren't I? Though I don't blame you for thinking otherwise – even I think I'm like the devil sometimes."

But the man who had already executed many personal stabs himself smiled in a surprisingly accepting way.

"….I will never understand you."

Masaomi said it like he never wanted to, and Izaya returned his hostility with an easy smile.

"Don't worry, you're not the only one."

Izaya said it like it was something Masaomi should feel reassured about.

…

Masaomi would have replied with some snide remark had he not heard a voice he had not heard for a long time.

"Ryuugamine-kun! …Kida-kun?!"

"Anri!"

"S-Sonohara-san!"

"Kida-kun….? How come….you're here?!"

Anri yelled for the first time in front of Masaomi after a reunion of 6 months.

"A-Anri….I can explain…..I, passed by, incidentally…."

Masaomi stuttered after getting over his surprise at seeing Anri raise her voice.

'Meow!'

The Scottish fold which had been hiding from the stalker and staying away from the conflict dissolved the tension in the situation, gaining everyone's attention.

"Dokusonmaru! Kida-kun, Ryuugamine-kun, did you two save the cat?"

Running up to Dokusonmaru who rubbed himself against her leg, Anri smiled in relief.

…

"…Dokusonmaru?"

"Ah, Heiwajima-san!"

Realizing Shizuo was there, Anri began to bow.

"I'm so sorry! The stalker attacked me, and Dokusonmaru ran away…."

"What? The stalker attacked you? Are you alright?"

"Yes…"

Anri stood up with Dokusonmaru in her arms as Shizuo scratched his head.

"You got some hidden fighting skills or something?"

"Something…..like that…."

Anri looked away, for Saika's voice was starting to resound in her at the presence of the strongest human.

"Sonohara-san….."

"Ryuugamine-kun, what happened to your hand? Are you alright? Kida-kun, did something happen here?"

Taking note of Adabashi who was still knocked out, Anri asked anxiously and Masaomi laughed sheepishly.

"Ah, it's a long story…..Anri. But everything's all right now, so don't worry! The three of us are back together again, right Mikado?!"

"Yeah…we did promise to talk about our secrets when we got back together again huh?"

Mikado smiled faintly, but there was happiness in his eyes as he was surrounded by two of his most precious friends.

"We did….."

Anri smiled timidly in return and Masaomi grinned, declaring, "So, let's go! We can crash at Mikado's house and talk all night – or we can just roam the city like we used to do and find some place! Anything's fine, as long as the three of us are together again!"

Mikado gave a smile in his best friend's direction. "Yeah."

…

…

"So it ends like this."

"Aoba-kun?"

"What a letdown, Mikado-senpai. The game barely started."

Aoba looked immensely displeased, not bothering to hide his unfriendliness towards the touching reunion, unlike Izaya's acceptance of before.

"Eh, seems like a third force has entered and knocked us off both the board. Considering he was the force who stopped Mikado-kun, I'm not really surprised. Not to mention there's something inhuman…."

Izaya said with an unfriendly glance at Anri who looked at him warily, but he did no taunting.

"More like you brought it."

Aoba spoke shortly in a clipped tone to Izaya, who looked amused.

"Hey, Aoba-kun."

"What?"

The resentment in Aoba's voice was almost tangible as he walked away, but Izaya's smile remained.

"I give you permission to date my sisters so….choose whoever you want. It'll be a load off my hands anyway."

Aoba paused, his expression was unseen save for a smirk.

"So you won't bat an eyelash if I hurt them?"

"I doubt you could harm them emotionally, those twins are pretty sturdy. And they're not exactly physically weak either, they've been learning from Mikage-chan and Eijirou-san after all."

"But if you do….well we'll see then won't we? I'm interested in my own reaction as a human being myself – what would I do….really?"

Aoba continued walking away. Izaya soon caught up with him.

"Why are you following me?"

"Because I'm interested in your exact feelings at this exact point in time which upset your expectations."

"Do me a favor and disappear."

Aoba spoke coldly, in contrast to Izaya's light-heartedness.

"Don't be so defensive, Aoba-kun. That's why I said, you have to love humans more. There are so many possibilities and outcomes of a single situation, it's no fun if you desire just one. Just like this – I'm very interested in your feelings and state of mind brought about by this unexpected situation. What is it you're feeling right now, Aoba-kun?"

"Hatred. Towards you."

Even though Aoba couldn't be any more cold, Izaya's smile grew wider.

"Really? Or is it fear, Aoba-kun? That you're not as horrible a person as you think you are?"

"…Isn't that self-reflection, Orihara?"

Aoba spared Izaya a glance.

"Perhaps. But now that I have Shizu-chan, I've evolved. Now that I have Heiwajima Shizuo, I have nothing to fear. That's why I can be honest with you like this."

'But I already know a person who makes me madder than you can ever make me. Next to him even you look like an interesting and humanly human being. That is why I can stand here and talk to you with a cool head'. You've sure changed your tune, haven't you?"

A smile full of malice made its way to Aoba's lips.

"So? You've found the person you're 'dying to be used by'? Are you thriving on your 'masochist's pleasure' now? How low you've fallen…Orihara Izaya. Really, you've become so pathetic I almost pity you!"

Not waiting for Izaya's reply, Aoba continued walking away.

"But I'm glad. I'm grateful, really. Seeing you makes me convinced something like love is useless. A waste of time. Instead of using others, you've let yourself become used instead! Haha! Well, for me, I will always, eternally be using others, I will never allow myself to be used by anyone like you have."

"Didn't you already allow yourself to be used by Mikado-kun?"

"….That's different. It's a mutual agreement. Sure, Mikado-senpai used the Blue Squares and me to his heart's content, but I also used him to further my own plans."

"Are you so weak that you'll lose yourself just because you change a bit? Well think on that, my kouhai. We're the same type of person after all."

Aoba made a 'tsk' noise as Izaya spread his arm as he walked alongside him.

"Look at me, have I changed that much?"

"Yeah. You're actually doing good now, that's a horrible change."

Izaya only laughed at this, "Rather honest with other people, aren't you? Why don't you direct that honesty towards yourself?"

"Well, whatever. It doesn't concern me. But you know…..I've done plenty of bad things. You'll have a long way to go if you want to surpass my horribleness."

"Ah, but it stops there. Because like you said, I'm actually doing good now. What would you do then? Well, whatever your reaction will be, I'm interested to see."

"Whatever the result will be, I will still love you as a human…..so be reassured, Aoba-kun."

"That's quite a disgusting thing to hear."

By this time, Aoba had reached his destination, the van which was parked some way away from the scene.

"Oi Aoba, you sure took a damn long time! And why haven't you brought Ryuugamine along?"

"Change of plans, guys. The plan failed. We're going back. How are the guys who got injured by the stalker?"

"They're pretty beat up but we've done – wait, who's that?"

Izaya smiled at the humans before him.

"Hey."

"Ignore him. That's just a detestable hyena."

Aoba said blithely as he climbed into the van, just as someone called –

"Aoba-kun!"

"…What is it?"

"I-I'm sorry….."

With his face still hidden from view, Aoba replied promptly.

"Don't apologize for something you're not sorry for. Mikado-senpai is always true to his own feelings right?"

"Still, I'm sorry…"

Aoba got into his seat, shifting his gaze to Mikado with an unreadable expression.

"….Well, see you in school, Mikado-senpai. Have a good talk with Anri-senpai and Kida Masaomi."

"I'll talk to you properly tomorrow!"

Aoba nodded slightly in acknowledgement, as Izaya waved cheerily, "Bye bye, Aoba-kun!"

"Good riddance, Orihara Izaya."

Aoba slammed the door of the van in Izaya's face, and Izaya moved back lest his kouhai decided on a hit and run, for he did not want another trip to the hospital.

…

"Ah finally that guy is gone. If only that other bastard would disappear…."

Masaomi muttered under his breath after watching the scene, and Mikado spoke up.

"Aoba-kun isn't that bad…."

"…You're way too kind-hearted, Mikado! That guy is the worst! Next to Izaya!"

"….Izaya-san isn't that bad either."

Masaomi stared at Mikado, then sighed and held up his hand.

"Ok, I give. All that doesn't really matter now anyway, now that the three of us are back together again."

"I'm surprised. I thought you would say something about how you would have to protect me…."

"W-Well, I wanted to but after thinking about what happened just now, I figured you could protect yourself…..but I'll always be watching over you though! So don't think you're off the hook just yet, Ryuugamine Mikado!"

"A-hahaha! Ow! Owww Masaomi that hurts!"

"What are you saying, the stalker would have hurt you worse, you idiot! You really are a big idiot!"

Smiling as she watched Masaomi press his knuckle into the side of Mikado's head, Anri said, "Then, shall we get going?"

Masaomi responded by slinging his arm around Mikado's shoulder and walking forward with his smiling best friend.

"Hey, Sonohara-san….Masaomi?"

"Yeah?"

Masaomi responded cheerfully, and Anri looked at Mikado as he spoke.

"I wanted to create a place for Sonohara-san and Masaomi to return to…..I didn't manage to do it, so why are you two here with me? It feels a bit like a dream…."

It was at this point that Masaomi and Anri exchanged a look of mutual understanding, despite having been separated for half a year.

Then they turned back to Mikado, with Masaomi speaking first –

"You've already created it."

"Eh?"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you? You didn't need to create a place – we already had it from the start!"

"What are you saying?"

"Idiot!" Mikado blinked as Masaomi hit his head lightly with a disarming grin.

"You still don't get it? There's only one place for Anri and me to return to."

"….And that place is you."

Anri finished softly, as she gently touched Mikado's wrist with a smile.

"A-hahaha….is that so. I'm….really an idiot, aren't I?"

Mikado averted his gaze with a smile, but was soon brought back by a certain sensation.

Anri's hand had moved to clasp his, and Masaomi was holding his other hand.

Mikado sensed the smiles before he saw them.

"Welcome home!"

"Welcome home, Mikado…!"

…

…

He was not in a hospital bed like he would have been had he continued down that dark path.

The situation had changed due to two of Ikebukuro's most significant figures' interference, bringing about the reunion between the three with less cost.

…

Ordinary or extraordinary, he felt in their words something he had wished for all this time.

The smiling boy clasped the boy and girl's hands in return with tears in his eyes –

…

"...I'm home."

…

…

…

* * *

 **At the same time**

…

"Izaya."

"What is it, Shizu-chan?"

"What are we going to do about that guy?"

Shizuo asked the mastermind, as everyone was leaving the scene except them.

"We're not the ones on clean-up duty. Mikage-chan and Ran-kun will be coming over later, so leave him."

Izaya said this as if he was speaking to an over concerned classmate and walked away from the scene. Shizuo followed him.

"….Why did you bring me here?"

"I wanted to see how Mikado-kun would react if his plans crumble so easily because of Shizu-chan you know? After all it was Shizu-chan telling him he was leaving the Dollars that brought him closer to the breaking point, until he was pushed over by Rokujou Chikage. So if Shizu-chan were there and intervened again…what would happen I wonder?"

"Alas! Mikado-kun is weaker than I thought and he crumbled so easily. Well if it's like that, there's no point. If his willpower is that weak and he's using my words to him as an excuse…..he'd just breakdown in the future without carrying out his ideal."

Izaya responded in his usual extravagant and over-confident manner to his lover, who told him bluntly.

"You weren't being honest."

"Oh?"

Izaya challenged Shizuo with his gaze, as Shizuo walked beside him.

"That safety match….you used the wrong surface on purpose."

"…."

Izaya smiled as he linked his arm with Shizuo's and leaned against his shoulder.

"That's quite optimistic of you."

"You knew the kid would break, and that's why you sent me over. You knew this was a turning point for Ryuugamine, and if he were to be saved, this moment would be optimal."

"Are you going to say next I interrupted a tenuous state of affairs? Me?"

"Didn't you? That's what Ryuugamine said isn't it. If you had left him and hadn't used me to bring him back to reality, he would probably have been stuck in his ideal of a pure Dollars and done even more bad things. And with the kind of guy Ryuugamine is, it'd break him in the long run. 'Cause he's not the kind of guy who's a villain at all."

Shizuo adopted a thinking pose with his hand to his chin, and Izaya took the opportunity to further enjoy his closeness with Shizuo.

Shizuo's other hand came up to stroke the soft hair of the cuddling flea idly as he spoke after some thought.

"…..I think the inertia analogy would be more accurate. You told me once I was like an unstoppable force, didn't you?"

"What about it?"

"So I was thinking….if Ryuugamine was in a state of motion with a constant momentum, it would require a force strong enough to knock him back into the other state of idleness. And if nothing could stop Ryuugamine in his path, then what he would need would be a force that would be as equally unstoppable as him. Though you'd have to consider that it would need to exceed him in physical strength too, and that's why you used me."

"On the other hand, the match analogy doesn't match. …..It's impossible for the safety match not to burn if it's a specially prepared surface with all the ingredients. Unless you took away some ingredients or something…..otherwise it doesn't make sense. I get the idea, but there's no logic behind it. So it just sounds like your way with words, you flea."

The hand on Izaya's hair gave a ruffle before sliding back into the pocket of the man in a bartender suit.

There was a short but peaceful silence.

"….I knew there was a reason I chose you as my lover."

Izaya spoke in a different tone of voice. Shizuo shifted his gaze.

"What?"

"Nothing." Izaya said, but the smile on his face was undeniable. He seemed to be genuinely happy for some reason Shizuo didn't know.

"I simply love Shizu-chan's skills of deduction."

Shizuo tilted his head as if to say, 'I have such a skill?' which Izaya read and answered –

"Shizu-chan is missing my point as usual, but I suppose Shizu-chan will be Shizu-chan. Yes Shizu-chan you do have the skill of deduction – or you wouldn't have been able to see through my plans."

"That's because everything in Ikebukuro is your fault. I didn't deduce anything – I just pinpointed it to you."

"Exactly. Pinpoint – to do that you would have to start from somewhere and progress from point to point, wouldn't you? Even if it ends up being a straight line. Something like joining the dots, perhaps? In that case you would have to know where the dots are before you can connect them to get the big picture."

Izaya suggested, speaking to Shizuo and looking at him as if he was eager to hear his opinion.

But Shizuo surprised him again.

"No, I think it's more like a laser."

Shizuo said simply like that was all to his point.

But Izaya's smile widened.

"A laser huh? What about a homing missile? Both serve the same purpose, but since Shizu-chan manages to reach the conclusion that it's my fault no matter where he is, wouldn't a homing missile be more fitting?"

"….If I'm hunting you down it'd be like a homing missile 'cause I'd manage to hunt you down no matter where I am even if I have to pass some obstacles on my way. But if I'm reaching the conclusion that it's your fault it'd be a laser 'cause I'd just point it directly at you, and it'll reach the same target in an instant no matter where I am, cutting through any obstacle you set out."

"It seems we have to agree to disagree. But I still love that skill of Shizu-chan's anyway."

Izaya said, and Shizuo looked at him, before a fond smile spread across his face.

"….You're a good guy, Izaya."

"You really are being too optimistic. I simply carried out those actions based on my own personal desires."

"…Tch! Whatever you say, shitty flea."

With a smirk, Shizuo looked away.

…

Izaya reached for Shizuo's hand, and intertwined their fingers together.

Shizuo blinked at him.

But instead of questioning, he merely smiled back at Izaya and grasped Izaya's hand with his own in return.

…

…

* * *

At that moment, Izaya felt as if he didn't need anything else.

Just like he had when Shizuo had asked him to be his lover, and he marveled at the emotion inspired in his human being.

It didn't matter to Izaya that there were still things uncertain in their relationship.

It didn't matter to Izaya that he still didn't know why Shizuo had forgiven and accepted him as his lover.

It didn't matter to Izaya that Shizuo had upset his expectations in their relationship and didn't even know.

It didn't matter to Izaya that by having a human as his lover, he was defying his own life goal to love all humans equally.

Even if all his humans were to suddenly declare that they returned his love for them, Izaya would pay them no mind, no heart.

His heart was already somewhere else.

…

…

* * *

Izaya would reflect later on that perhaps this was why humans wanted to live in peace, but right now another thought was in his mind.

"More importantly –"

 _Are you really mine?_

"Huh?"

Shizuo looked clueless but willing to hear him out, making Izaya feel uncharacteristically nervous.

Averting his gaze slightly, Izaya inwardly berated himself for his sudden insecurity.

"Izaya?"

Shizuo had stopped as if in concern for him, and Izaya realized his hand had slipped away from Shizuo's.

 _No turning back now, eh?_

 _The moment's as good as any, I suppose_

Izaya thought wryly to himself at Shizuo's searching gaze. He made a show of sliding his hands smoothly into his pockets, but his words as he raised his gaze were hesitant.

"…Hey. Shizuo….are you –"

"Heiwajima-san!"

Izaya almost jolted in surprise – that was how invested he had been in that particular moment.

"Thank you! It's thanks to you that the three of us are back together again! I know you don't know what it means, but thanks anyway! Right, Mikado?"

"Yeah, thank you Heiwajima-san!"

"Thank you!"

Shizuo had a 'what did I do' look on his face, but he soon returned the kids' smiles.

"Yeah."

Izaya was dimly aware Mikado, Anri and Masaomi had left the vicinity, when Shizuo spoke to him again.

"Sorry about that. What was it you wanted to say?"

…

 _Masaomi…..did he do that on purpose?_

… _.Ha…hahahaha if that was his form of revenge even I have to admit it's brilliant._

 _Breaking the atmosphere between my lover and I like that…._

 _That's why you can never underestimate humans._

 _Not to mention Shizu-chan is as oblivious as ever._

 _Really, why am I…._

"Izaya."

His name sounded a little more intense this time.

Izaya still hadn't gotten used to Shizuo calmly saying his name.

"It's nothing." Izaya waved off, slipping a hand into his pocket as he brushed past Shizuo.

But Shizuo didn't seem willing to let him go. He grabbed Izaya's wrist and held him there.

Their gazes faced opposite directions.

"What is it, Shizu-chan?"

Izaya asked nonchalantly, nothing on his expression showing that his heart was pounding in his chest.

Shizuo's brown eyes moved to regard Izaya from behind his sunglasses.

"You called me Shizuo."

"Yes, that is your name."

"What was the important thing that you wanted to say?"

At that moment, Shizuo and Izaya didn't seem like lovers. They seemed like two men in a civil confrontation on their own terms.

"It wasn't that important –"

"Don't lie to me, Izaya."

 _Don't make me distrust you again._ The words hung like their stained past in the air between them.

"…Shizu-chan, it hurts."

Shizuo tensed, but he didn't let go of Izaya's wrist. He slowly loosened his hold, then pulled Izaya to face him.

He said nothing, but Izaya understood. Averting his gaze slightly to calm his heart, Izaya spoke honestly.

"…I can't say it now."

 _Don't force me into a corner._

Shizuo seemed to hear those words, from the growing apprehension in Izaya's eyes, the downward curve of his lips, the way his gaze wasn't seeking, but retreating.

The flea would always escape when forced into a corner, but it was more than that. It was the way Izaya hadn't pushed him away, hadn't taken back his hand, had responded to Shizuo honestly after he had told him not to lie to him.

It was the way Izaya had listened to Shizuo.

In a way he never had when they had been enemies.

Shizuo's heart overflowed with emotion. He tilted Izaya's chin up, looked into those eyes that had never looked at him with fear, and kissed him.

It was a light kiss. Shizuo drew back before Izaya could respond, and tugged the black haired man. Izaya fell against Shizuo's chest, and the blond man cradled his head carefully, speaking from his heart in a way he did with very few people outside his family.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have pushed that on you. I – didn't mean to force you into a corner, not when you always escape when I do. I –"

Shizuo broke off. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he confided quietly in his lover.

"Sorry. I – I haven't had a relationship before, so…."

Shizuo sighed. Yet through his uncertainty, he turned to face Izaya honestly, asking of him –

"….Forgive me, Izaya."

Shizuo's gruff voice made it sound like a statement. But his eyes showed a request.

As if the surface was going to fall away any moment, Izaya's hands raised hesitantly. They rested on Shizuo's bartender suit before Izaya leaned forward, resting his head just under the bowtie.

"Alright. But on one condition."

"Anything."

Izaya smiled at the way Shizuo had said it without hesitation.

It was the perfect time.

It was the perfect time to solve the issue in their relationship which would lead to another confrontation in the future.

Not that Izaya knew, for he was simply being true to his desire at the moment.

For there was something he wanted more.

…

"Forgive me."

…

…

* * *

There was silence, and it was like Izaya's world had stopped.

Then there was a hand on his cheek and his gaze inadvertently met Shizuo's.

…

 **"…** **I already forgave you when I asked you to be my lover."**

His world seemed to start again. Izaya let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and a smile.

"…Is that so."

Izaya said. He raised a hand, placing it over Shizuo's hand on his cheek as a rare smile he reserved for his lover graced his lips.

"There's nothing to forgive, Shizuo."

Shizuo forgot how to breathe for a moment. He was about to steal the breath from Izaya's lips in return when the black haired man detached himself and turned smoothly.

"Now that our little moment is over, let's continue towards our destination, shall we?"

Shizuo saw through him immediately, and he smiled as he caught a glimpse of pink on Izaya's cheeks. He soon caught up with Izaya and ran a hand through the glossy black hair of the man who was his flea, dipping to murmur in his ear.

"I'll wait for you."

Izaya's foot paused in mid-air, but he soon found his momentum again and Shizuo moved so he was walking beside Izaya, reaching out for his lover's hand.

"…You can tell me anytime you want."

The smile which appeared on the beautiful features of the handsome man made Shizuo want to kiss him. But his attention soon shifted when Izaya clasped his hand, as their shoulders touched.

Shizuo entwined their fingers, as Izaya leaned against him in contentment. He smiled in the peaceful silence.

Izaya seemed to be enjoying their close contact too, and he brushed his fingers against the back of Shizuo's hand lightly.

"…I really like Shizu-chan."

"Yeah."

Shizuo gifted him with the smile he had wished for a long time to be directed to him.

Izaya smiled back, almost shyly at the softness in Shizuo's eyes. Then he parted hands with Shizuo.

It was an automatic motion for Shizuo when he followed Izaya up the building, only now he was travelling beside Izaya instead of chasing after him –

For he had finally caught up to the flea.

They reached the top at almost the same time, running on the building as casually as they did on roads, though they were soon in the air again.

"Where are we going?"

"Russia Sushi."

Izaya replied, his voice as flowing as the wind which brushed past their faces as they parkoured across buildings to their destination.

"I thought you wanted me to bring it over? Ootoro, I mean."

"I changed my mind. Since I'm here in Ikebukuro, we might as well go to Russia Sushi together. Haha, Simon's gonna get a shock!"

"But I thought I was going to visit your apartment….."

Shizuo's contemplative voice reached his ears, and Izaya smiled as he grabbed onto the ledge, pulling himself onto the advertisement board.

"You can come see me anytime you want, Shizu-chan."

And then he was off again with Shizuo catching up soon after. They were right beside each other now and they exchanged smiles.

"Ah yeah….I know, but I thought I was going to bring a gift over….hey, is there anything other than ootoro that you want?"

Shizuo asked, his calm voice an ironic contrast to the superhuman feats of parkour he performed with muscles not like a normal human's.

Izaya felt a warmth in his heart, which made him think of something else –

"How about hotpot?"

"Hotpot huh…got it."

"Really? Shizu-chan is going to have hotpot with me?"

Izaya drawled as he jumped down from a familiar lamppost. Shizuo took another route and dropped straight down from the building, but they landed on the same ground.

Izaya wondered if he could get his lover to employ some techniques in order to utilize his superhuman strength, as Shizuo spoke.

"Why not? Hotpot usually is for a number of people….but eating it together with my lover sounds nice too."

They were walking on the ground at a normal pace again. Shizuo wrapped an arm around Izaya's waist to draw him close to his body and Izaya leaned up, removing Shizuo's sunglasses so he could see his brown eyes after kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm looking forward to it then."

For once, Izaya wasn't even aware of the humans around him – not when Shizuo blinked and an easy going smile spread across his handsome features, and his soft brown eyes were filled with peace his lover had given him.

"Yeah. Look forward to it, flea."

…

…

* * *

 **Current time, nearby Russia Sushi**

…

Izaya was smiling happily as he took the same path he and Shizuo had walked, when a familiar voice called him.

"Iza-nii! Iza-niiiiiiii!"

"Well, this is unusual. Usually I would have received a kick to my cervical spine around this moment."

Izaya said as he turned around, and saw why.

"Ah, this is Kuronuma Aoba – a classmate and friend! But Iza-nii probably already knows right?"

Mairu exclaimed cheerfully, as Aoba gave Izaya an unfriendly look which he returned with amusement.

"Hey, Aoba-kun. Fancy seeing you here."

"Fancy seeing you alive and well, Orihara Izaya."

"What what? Could it be, you two have met before?! Wah, what a surprise! Not only does Iza-nii know our classmate and friend he's already gained animosity from him! Hey hey what did you do to Aoba-kun, Iza-nii?!"

"…What (Did you)…..do (threaten)…?"

"I did nothing of that sort, don't you two feel the slightest bit of guilt suspecting your older brother so, Mairu and Kururi?"

"Not at all, since our older brother is such a horrible guy! In fact, if he wasn't family, he would be the type of person I'd stay far away from!"

"…No (Did not)…redemption (change)…"

"I was a fool to expect any family love from you two."

Izaya shook his head and sighed lightly, as Mairu said brightly, "So Aoba-kun, how did you two meet?"

The look in Aoba's eyes grew in distaste as he gave a crooked smile, "Sorry, but I'd rather erase that encounter from my memory."

"Eh but if you want Kuru-nee or me or both of us you'll have to get along, you know! You two might be related in the future!"

"….I'll pass."

Aoba said and made to walk away just because Izaya was there, but was stopped easily.

"You promised, didn't you? That you'd go shopping with us!"

"Your (You)…word (promised)…"

"…Hey, don't corner me from both sides like that."

The blue squares leader found himself powerless at the hands of the two twin girls, who were clutching his arms.

"Who's thriving on their 'masochist's pleasure' now, Aoba-kun?"

"Shut up, Orihara Izaya."

Aoba said with a look of deep loathing, before it morphed into mischief as the situation hit him.

"What about you? How's your relationship with Heiwajima Shizuo? I knew you were a masochist, but I didn't think it extended to the point that you would have the guy who's been trying to kill you for years as your lover."

Silence, while Aoba looked triumphant as the twin girls hanging from his arms froze in shock.

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

"…"

"What's this, Orihara Izaya? You didn't even let your own family know? That you're in a relationship with _Shizuo._ "

Aoba said with a joyful grin as Izaya looked almost uncomfortable.

But it was only a split second, as the smile made its way back to his smooth face.

"Oops, look at the time. Goodness, I really have to go. I must have been enjoying the scenery a bit too much."

Izaya talked as if to himself even though there was an audience in front of him, and broke off into a run, to the indignation of his little sisters.

"O- Iza-ya! Ootoro? Where is lover Shizu-o?"

"Not now Simon, gotta run!"

"WAAAAAH- GET BACK HERE, IZA-NIIIIIIII!"

"….Iza-nii….!"

 _Ah, did Kururi just yell?_

 _They're chasing me, aren't they?_

 _Goodness, I'm really in trouble._

 _Who knew I would be chased by someone other than Shizu-chan?_

 _By those apathetic sisters of mine no less_

 _Props to you for reading the situation so well, Aoba-kun._

The young man had a grin of enjoyment on his face even though the situation had come about by his 'kouhai' trying to sabotage him.

With his swift reflexes, he was soon perched on top of a telephone pole, as Mairu and Kururi regarded him indignantly.

"Explain, Iza-nii! Just what the hell did Aoba-kun mean by that?! You're in a relationship with Shizuo-san!? Are you sure it's the real Shizuo-san?! And you didn't let us know!?"

"How (Since)….long (when)….?!"

"Hey hey, are you trying to advertise my love life to the whole of Ikebukuro? I appreciate not having to defend myself from a kick to my cervical spine on a public street, but this really isn't much better."

Izaya spoke as he peered down at the two humans who were his biological family.

"Little sisters shouldn't interfere in their older brother's love life. Your older brother has his privacy, you know."

"Privacy –! When you're the type of guy who interferes in other people's lives, breaking through their privacy walls like you break through firewalls on other people's computers! A guy like you speaking about privacy is hypocritical to the max!"

"What can I do, as an informant? Every guy has his job to do."

Izaya spoke like he was a proper member of society but Mairu seemed to not be listening to him as she shook her fist up at him.

"Break up with Shizuo-san!"

"Now why should I do that?"

"Because….because! You were supposed to be our ticket for seeing Yuuhei-san but now you're Shizuo-san's lover and that means Shizuo-san wouldn't want you to throw yourself in front of a dump truck laughing anymore which means we can't carry out that scenario which means we can't see Yuuhei-san! It's not fair!"

"…And here I was thinking you two had become less twisted, but I see I was wrong on that point."

Izaya sighed and said. He sat back on the telephone pole and spoke to his pouting sisters.

"Unfortunately, that's something I can't do."

"That's selfish, Iza-nii!"

"Now really, who's being selfish? Me, who's pursuing something that shouldn't be other people's concern at all, or you two, who want to kill your own brother to see an idol?"

"Who said you had to be killed? Shizuo-san won't die even if he's hit by a truck!"

"I don't think there's a point of comparison there. Shizu-chan is Shizu-chan after all."

"Your words are making less and less sense, Iza-nii!"

Mairu puffed her cheeks out, her pout increasing in intensity as Kururi looked up at him.

"...Why…not (did you not)…?"

Izaya would have patted Kururi's head had it not involved dropping to the ground in front of an angry Mairu, which he wasn't really partial to at the moment.

"Now shouldn't you two examine the situation from a different angle? You thought you had a chance to see Hanejima Yuuhei because you knew his brother right? Well now you know his brother – and the lover of his brother who just so happens to be your older brother. Shouldn't you turn your thoughts in a more normal direction?"

"Eh, what do you mean by that?"

"…Confused (don't understand)…"

 _Oh right, I almost forgot._

 _My sisters aren't normal after all._

"...Instead of sending your older brother to his deathbed to see your idol, you should make use of his new connection instead, don't you think so? For instance, if you ask your older brother nicely, he might speak some words to his lover who's the brother of your idol, who might be convinced to let the sisters of his lover see their idol…"

Izaya trailed off. It took Mairu and Kururi a while, but their faces soon lighted up.

"I see! Finally you're saying something which makes sense, although it was so unusual it took me a while to comprehend! Because you're the furthest definition from normal after all!"

"Do you really have to insult me even while thanking me?"

"That's incorrect! I had no intention to express gratitude at all! Since there's no meaning in expressing gratitude to a guy like you! But if you really will speak to Shizuo-san to introduce us to Yuuhei-san, my opinion of you will change and you'll have much more meaning in my eyes!"

"…Really (Will you really)?"

"…That your brother will only have meaning to you if he has a connection to your idol…I must admit, I'm deeply saddened. Whatever happened to family love?"

Izaya sighed deeply with a bitter smile, and Mairu tilted her head at him.

"It's not as if you consider us as family Iza-nii, since you said you treat every human being equally. Unless you treat all humans like they're your family? But in that case, it wouldn't be family love! Or is it because now you have Shizuo-san whom you always call a monster as your lover that you've decided to pay attention to your family? …Weird! You're really weird, Iza-nii! I don't understand you at all! But it's ok as long as you get Shizuo-san to introduce us to Yuuhei-san!"

"Equal (Same)…love (kind of love) …ask…Shizuo-san…"

Kururi murmured as Mairu yelled up at him. Izaya smiled and gave a moment like he was thinking about it.

"If I feel like it."

"Wha – wait, Iza-niiiii!"

Izaya had travelled via telephone poles after giving the ambiguous statement. By the time his sisters had caught up with him, he was already halfway up a building, and he gave a casual wave as Mairu's words faded into the distance.

"Tell…Shizuo-san! Tell…him!"

 _Now did she mean 'Tell him to introduce Yuuhei-san to us' or 'I'll tell him you didn't tell your family about your relationship' – or perhaps both?_

 _Well, Shizu-chan's reaction would be interesting to see if that were the case._

Izaya thought as he ran up the building. He soon reached the top and pulled himself over easily, landing on the building like he was landing on the ground.

"Well well, it's the first time I've seen those expressions on my little sisters' faces."

It was at this moment that there was a vibration in his pocket. Izaya drew his hand out.

The smile on his face faded away as his eyebrows drew together and his face twitched slightly as he looked at his phone screen.

…

"…Looks like I have no choice."

…

…

* * *

 **CHATROOM**

Orihara Izaya, reborn!

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
Welcome, Orihara. The city has been peaceful lately, hasn't it? Considering who is in a romantic relationship now.

Orihara Izaya  
Tsukumoya. There's…..something I need information on.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
How direct of you. Well, whatever could it be?

Orihara Izaya  
…Sex…

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
…..I'm sure Heiwajima Shizuo could help you with that.

Orihara Izaya  
….Toys.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
…..

Orihara Izaya  
Sex toys. I require information on that.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
…Ha. Haha. Hahahahahahaha!

Orihara Izaya  
Tsukumoya.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
Hahaha. HAHAHAHAHHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

Orihara Izaya  
Tsukumoya!

Tsukumoya Shinchi  
My….apologies. It seems I had just experienced the human phenomenon of laughter

Orihara Izaya  
…This is not a laughing matter, Tsukumoya. I am venturing into unknown territory, who knows how unpredictable those objects of merchandise could be. In addition, there could be possibility of contamination. Thus, reliable information is vital.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
Ahhh….yes. Ha. So, what information do you want on…..sex toys? Do tell me the specifications Orihara, and I will assist you to the best of my ability. Size? Bigger or smaller than Shizuo's? Or maybe you want one that is the same size as Shizuo's, in which case you will have to provide me the measurements. Circumference and Length. What about color? Flexibility is a factor as well. What category are you looking for, one that moves? Or would you prefer those on a string? 'Anal beads'. There are many different types, from what I see. We would of course not want one too overwhelming for your anus.

Orihara Izaya  
How touching your concern is, and what a pervert you are. I haven't decided on the details yet, which are unimportant, what I'm more concerned about is finding a reliable origin for my purchase, to maximize personal hygiene – since I'm not aware of any commercial shops which sell sex toys.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
Of course, that can be arranged easily. The information will be sent to your email shortly. But I must insist, Orihara, on the specifications. There is quite a variety out there on the Internet as well as commercial shops. Which origin would you prefer?

Orihara Izaya  
The latter would be appreciated.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
And the specifications?

Orihara Izaya  
You're enjoying this, aren't you?

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
Greatly. But I assure you, I also have your best interests in mind.

Orihara Izaya  
I find that hard to believe. Whatever. I'm not too concerned about the specifications and I can't exactly go and measure Shizu-chan nor would I provide you my lover's measurements anyway. That monster is definitely bigger than average though, I'll leave you to your own deductions.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
Certainly. Movement, or lack thereof?

Orihara Izaya  
The former. Or Shizu-chan would think I'm replacing him, which I'm not – not that there is anything to replace….yet.

Tsukumoya Shinichi  
So it's not for masturbation purposes? How bold of you, Orihara. Don't worry, I will assist you in finding an adequate one – enough to make Heiwajima Shizuo envious.

Orihara Izaya, confirmed dead!

…

…

* * *

 **Two hours ago, on Otome Road**

…

"Oooooh I see, I see!"

A woman with a cap on her head was speaking excitedly on the side road to a man in a fur trimmed jacket.

"In other words, you're the uke, and Shizuo is the seme. But somehow, Shizuo has become the uke and you've been forced into the role of the seme! It's awkward and unfitting for you as a natural uke, because you can't take it up the ass from the manly Shizu-chan!"

"Huh?"

Izaya said, Erika's terminology flying right over his head. He was dimly aware of what she was talking about by inference, but the unfamiliar terms were taking a while for him to compute.

He had thought if there was anyone who could be a good reference for his relationship with another male, it would be the otaku fangirl who saw fiction and reality as equally valuable.

"What a dilemma, Izayan!"

But seeing the shine in her eyes that probably had nothing to do with his concerns, he doubted that now.

"Sex toys!"

Erika had exclaimed out of nowhere as if in an 'Eureka!' moment, and it took Izaya a while to respond.

"…No isn't that a little too early? We've only been together for a month."

"Awww, that's so cute! But it's never too early to do ero things in a BL manga! Well this is reality but – I think it could help spice up your relationship."

Erika seemed to be returning to reality. Izaya gave it a moment of thought.

"…How?"

"If you really want Shizuo, then take it as an opportunity to make yourself desirable to him. If he refuses to touch you and to put it in bluntly – fuck you, then as the more open partner, why don't you take the initiative? If you know what I mean."

"…That's…..not a bad idea..."

Izaya admitted even as warmth heated up his cheeks at the thought and Erika squealed.

"Right! Right, if it's you, he'll definitely see! No man, especially Shizu-chan, will be able to resist you if you show them clearly how much you want their manly desire! If he does, I'll take my hat off to him – and hit him on the head with it! I don't know what's going through that head of his, but how could he refuse his beloved uke?! It's practically a crime!"

Erika seemed incensed for a reason Izaya didn't know, but he had to say –

"While I'm not quite knowledgeable on your jargon Karisawa-san, I must correct one thing. I'm not an 'uke' – well it's true that I want to be taken by Shizu-chan, but I've taken Shizu-chan already so being an 'uke' is impossible."

"That's true, but you're not a seme either! A seme wouldn't ask to be taken and be depressed about not being fucked!"

"Well yes that is also true. However, I don't believe in being on one end of the spectrum or the other – so I suppose I'm somewhere in the middle."

"….Ah I see! You must be a seke then! You're both an uke and seme – a seme because you've taken Shizu-chan, and an uke because in truth you want nothing more than to be taken by him! So you're a seke-uke! In other words, an uke that can also be a seme but prefers to be an uke!"

"And I suppose Shizu-chan is a 'seke-seme'?"

"Wow, you catch on fast, Izayan! Shizu-Shizu is most probably a seke-seme as you said, it seems like surprisingly he can be an uke but with that temperament of his, I'm sure he's a natural seme! I mean if he can dominate you even as an uke, imagine how much he'll dominate you as a seme."

"Oh don't worry, I imagine it all the time– that's all I can do really."

Izaya said with a wry smirk and Erika laughed and patted his shoulder.

"Haha, you're really charming Izayan! I can see why Shizu-chan fell for you."

The look in Erika's eyes had changed. Izaya absorbed the words for a moment, before he spoke.

"About that – how do you know Shizu-chan fell for me?"

"What are you talking about? You two are in a relationship right? If he hadn't fallen for you, he certainly wouldn't be together with you, much less have sex with you!"

"Even if the sex is one-sided most of the time?"

"I'm sure there's another reason." Erika told him gently, meeting his eyes.

"Shizuo is in love with you, Izaya. A man like him has never had a relationship before, yet he's already touching and having sex with you in just a month. It's his first relationship, and he's already given so much of himself to you in such a short time. It's downright illogical for him to not be in love with you."

…

…

* * *

Shinra had told him Shizuo was in love with him.

And unbeknownst to him, Namie had thought that Shizuo must be in love with him.

Celty had told him Shizuo was serious about him.

And now Erika was telling him the same thing Shinra had –

That Shizuo was in love with him.

It was then that Izaya realized he was lacking.

Being in a romantic relationship with the human he had considered a monster, he had lost an outsider's point of view on the situation –

It was like the mosquito curtains he had envisioned himself outside of had swept him in and made him face the reality that he was a human being.

– For he couldn't see how someone could love a man like him.

Especially if it was the man who had hated him the most.

It was not that Izaya thought Shizuo was playing around with him, for it was not in the honest man's nature.

However, he was unable to extend his comprehension of their romantic relationship to the notion of love from his partner.

Orihara Izaya was not a man to be loved.

Especially not by Heiwajima Shizuo.

This was why, despite being open with his own desires, he had never once asked Shizuo whether he loved him –

He was content with his unrequited love for the strongest man of Ikebukuro, for he was no longer rejected by the only human whose rejection could hurt him.

He had no desire to know.

He simply wanted to see.

He wanted to see, and love from his human loving heart.

…

For the man would always remain eternally true to his own desires.

…

…

* * *

"Izaya."

Izaya almost jolted at a hand landing on his shoulder which wasn't Shizuo's. He whirled, and the man who was not his lover looked at him in surprise.

"Hey, chill out man. I'm not Shizuo, but I have no intention of hurting you – …wait, that sounds really weird now…"

"Ah, Dotachin…"

Izaya murmured with a smile as Kadota muttered to himself. The man with a beanie soon shook himself out of his thoughts and looked at Izaya.

"Anyway, don't worry too much about it. It's not like you."

"…Hey Dotachin, do you think Shizu-chan is in love with me?"

Izaya asked after taking in Kadota's words as he looked at the man he did not consider a pawn.

"Honestly? Yeah."

Kadota replied without hesitation like he didn't even need to think about it.

"It still disturbs me a bit that you and Shizuo are a couple, but it's got nothing to do with you. It's just Karisawa's fantasies….anyway yeah maybe you don't see it, but really, everyone who knows Shizuo knows that Shizuo is in love with you. The Black Bike, Simon, probably that man and woman in his debt collecting job as well. The look in his eyes when he talks about you – what can I say? He's never had that look in his eyes before, until he told us he was in a relationship with you."

"Is that so. But don't you think he might be in love with the ideal of peace instead? Since Shizu-chan has always wanted to live in peace, perhaps he isn't in love with me, but with his peace."

Izaya revealed his insecurities wholeheartedly to a man he knew wouldn't judge him.

"…Even if that were so, that would mean you're the one who gives him his peace. And he'd love you for that, than just the idea of peace itself. Maybe other people do but Shizuo just isn't that kind of guy. He'd love you for you. You should know, as his lover."

 _As his lover huh?_

Izaya reflected upon Kadota's words –

 **…** _ **I already forgave you when I asked you to be my lover.**_

– Which brought Shizuo's words to mind.

 _Does that mean 'I decided to forgive you when I asked you to be my lover' or 'I've forgiven you, that's why I asked you to be my lover' or 'I forgave you so we could be lovers' or 'I forgave you some time ago, because I realized I wanted you as my lover?'_

… _With Shizu-chan's unpredictable sense of timing, I can't tell what he really meant._

"Izaya? Hey are you alright? You're spacing out."

"Ah…I was just lost in thought for a moment there."

Izaya brushed off and Kadota assessed him for a bit before speaking.

"Don't think too much about it. I'm not really experienced but….I don't think love is something you should think too much about. Normally, people just feel. They feel, and then they'll know."

 _Feel…._

 _Like I feel love for my humans?_

 _..Haha….if I let my feelings become passionate to that extent I'd be swept away in the tide._

Izaya, who had never returned any love shown towards him before Shizuo, kept his thoughts to himself as he gave Kadota and his female companion an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Dotachin, Karisawa-san. I'll keep your words in mind. Then, I'll see you around."

Izaya excused himself from the scene, and walked away.

…

…

* * *

 **Current time, in a private meeting room**

…

"–Orihara-san? Orihara-san!"

Izaya's eyes widened as he saw Shiki's displeased expression.

 _How careless of me._

 _First Dotachin, and now Shiki-san._

 _I need to anchor myself back to the present._

"My apologies, Shiki-san. It's just that it's been so long that the sight of Shiki-san's face made me feel nostalgic."

Shiki did not look impressed with him.

"Is that so? To me it feels like yesterday."

With that same expression, the Yakuza executive told him, "With that careless demeanor of yours, it seems you haven't learnt from your little incident."

 _Oh yeah, I was stabbed._

"I don't suppose you would know who did that to you?"

"Ah, you mean that incident which made it into the news? Thank god they didn't show any pictures of me. As for who, I'm in the process of finding out myself…anyway, I would readily confess that there are a lot of people who think ill of me when I only _meant to be kind…_ But surely you didn't request my presence just to ask me that?"

"I'm satisfying my curiosity and doing my job. If someone tries to backstab an information broker under our patronage, it is only natural to suspect their intention may be to harm us."

Shiki's flat tone remained the whole time he was speaking to Izaya, who received the folder handed over to him.

"…I'm surprised. That the Awakusu-kai would hand me a job of this scale."

"It would be best for your current state of mind. Payment will be transferred over to your account."

Izaya held back his chagrin, the smile never fading away from his face.

"I won't deny that. Well if that's all, I'll be taking my leave."

"I'll see you out."

"….That's unusual. Is this sympathy at my stabbing incident, Shiki-san?"

"It's caution."

Shiki spoke bluntly, as they made their way out of the room, past the stationed bodyguards and out of the art gallery.

"I heard you're in a relationship with Heiwajima Shizuo."

Izaya had expected it, but it still took him a while to turn.

"Frankly, it's none of our business where your tastes lie. However with quite a few unusual events surrounding you, we have cause to show some…concern."

"…"

Seeing Izaya silent for once, Shiki told him directly with a touch of bemusement.

"Don't look so worried, Orihara-san. Heiwajima Shizuo has done some good for us by saving our Head's granddaughter, we have no plans to do anything to him. Speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? About 'Nakura'."

Shiki's voice had grown cold like icicles pricking his skin in the cool evening air. Izaya was silent for a second longer, before his smile returned with his usual demeanor.

"Nakura-san? Is that a first name? There was someone whose given name sounded like that in my middle school."

"That Nakura told our Head's granddaughter to do some weird things…"

"Your Miss? Isn't she still in elementary school? Goodness, even if Ikebukuro is one of the safer areas around this place you should never have let bad guys have a chance to approach her. It's a good thing Heiwajima Shizuo came to her rescue, isn't it?"

"Your…lover hasn't introduced our little Miss to you, has he?"

"Not yet, it seems. Why?"

Izaya asked with an innocuous smile. Shiki narrowed his eyes at the man of suspect.

"It's nothing. Anyway, take this as a warning Orihara."

Shiki had dropped the honorific. Izaya looked undisturbed as he continued his polite speech.

"Rest assured Shiki-san, I have no intention of getting on the Awakusu-kai's bad side."

"With your mercurial personality Orihara-san, let's hope it stays that way."

Shiki said. He swept his sharp gaze across for any suspicious looking people, then turned and made his way back inside.

The Yakuza executive had his phone to his ear when he was some distance away.

"So, how did it go, Shiki-san?"

"Orihara didn't know who stabbed him. And it seems he has a new connection with Heiwajima."

"Is that so? I've finished interrogating Heiwajima as well. Actually, it was more like a friendly chat, since he's the guy who saved Akane-chan after all. Ah, he's a really good guy, that Heiwajima lad."

"Get to the point, Akabayashi."

"Haha, sorry. Anyway, he said it's real, not a ploy on the informant's part. So there shouldn't be anything to be overly concerned about. Unless Orihara gets on our bad side, then we might have to take the little Miss's benefactor aside. It'll be troublesome, that one."

"Orihara was rather ambiguous. If it wasn't for his body language and his state of distraction along with our information, I wouldn't have been able to confirm my suspicions."

"It doesn't look like that to me though. I know love when I see it."

Akabayashi said, for he had looked in the mirror many times after falling in unrequited love with the married woman Sayaka.

He had only had one eye left, but that one eye had reflected the emotion of his whole countenance he never thought he could have had.

The moment of silence Shiki gave almost seemed as if he was giving Akabayashi time to reminisce.

"It wouldn't be good to give him _that_ job now. Well, he's still just a kid after all. An adult would know not to let their emotions get in the way of their job."

Shiki spoke coldly, unaware the 'kid' was the one behind the group of drug dealers and the organization which had encroached on their territory.

…

"Even so, kids grow up fast nowadays. It would be best to keep an eye on him."

…

…

…

* * *

 _From the look on Shiki-san's face, it would seem he found out about Amphisbaena_

… _Still, to think that I've been that distracted._

 _Well, it'll all work out in my favor in the end._

Izaya thought, and it was enough to make a happy smile appear on his face again despite being clearly belittled by Shiki.

But the smile retreated slightly as his mind recalled that incident.

 _Yodogiri Jinnai._

 _If he could ambush me, he could ambush Shizu-chan_

 _That protozoic brain hardly pays any attention to his surroundings unless I'm in the near vicinity…_

 _Shizu-chan wouldn't be injured by a knife stab, but you never know what humans have up their sleeves._

 _Especially if it's someone with a grudge against me._

Izaya thought wryly with a bemused smile as he remembered the girl who had attacked him in the hospital.

Izaya would rest easy in the future once he found out that the man who had stabbed him was part of an organization with people of the same name, an organization he could easily crush, but right now he was genuinely concerned over his lover's safety.

"…Ah, look at me…."

…

Izaya stopped short as a sudden epiphany hit him like vending machines no longer did.

His conversations and meetings with his humans throughout the day had given him a realization he hadn't entirely wanted to acknowledge.

There was a bittersweet smile on the young man's face as he raised his gaze and walked away into the sunset.

…

…

"…I've become like a human."


End file.
